


After Dark

by yooki221



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: A really late Halloween fic, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Biting, Blood, Cause Vampires, Eventual Smut, F/M, Famous Fright Night Window scene, Fluff, Inspired by Fright Night, Kihyun still big baby, M/M, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Mild Gore, Student Jooheon, Student Minhyuk, Vampires, Werewolves, Wonho is a secret, i would assume so, set in the 80s, student Changkyun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-07 05:36:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 104,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21452866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yooki221/pseuds/yooki221
Summary: It's the Halloween season, clearly, any monster or any supernatural being is fake, right? All of that is just television and movie, but that's until Changkyun's new neighbor is up to something. And after dark, he sees what he really is.
Relationships: Lim Changkyun | I.M/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 87
Kudos: 207





	1. Fright Night

**Author's Note:**

> There are mentions of prostitutes but you'll understand why. It's the 80s, drugs are a thing, but none of the characters use it. 
> 
> I do not condone any bad behaviors/toxic topics, nor do I romanticize with anything that is bad. This is a work of fiction, they're characters, and since one of the characters is a vampire, they live a completely different lifestyle. thank you and please enjoy it!
> 
> Side note: Because Dan and Cathe put me in two of their fics they make an appearance here!!

_ Tired. _ Sleep was the most important thing and Changkyun recently hasn't gotten any _ good _sleep for the past few days. Leaning a little off his chair, the lack of support wakes him back up and zaps him back into reality, though he still can feel his eyelids lower once more. 

He's stuck, trapped and held hostage in the small, stuffy room. Each breath that Changkyun takes is hot with lungs burning like he just finished a run. Palms sweaty as if he was at the nearest arcade playing Galaga, gripping the sharp object tightly. The man in front of him is a demon, a beard on his face and skin painted a brick red; it didn’t look human. 

Clasped in the hands of the man is a large stick with a sharp blade at the end, shining from the light above. The ground is cracked, needing repair as mold begins to grow, and plants have withered to the point where they no longer have the energy to take in oxygen. 

In front of Changkyun is a chipped desk with a single piece of paper; his death is just right there in front of him. He's practically giving up his soul and for what exactly? Before anything else, the blade comes in contact with his desks and instead of slicing it like how it should, Changkyun blinks into _ actual _reality. 

"Mr. Im, please focus."

In Changkyun's mind, he views their instructor as the devil, after the stupid project he had to do last week. He's still recovering from the horror and the stress of it all. 

The clock ticks away in the background as Changkyun's number two wooden pencil tap the desk every other five seconds to match the rhythm, almost mimicking a metronome. He shouldn’t let his eyes wander around the classroom because _oops__—_ eye contact with a student, talk about awkward. Changkyun looks away as his classmate sends a dirty look, hunching over her test to cover it up. Not a really good moment to lock eyes with someone but, Changkyun swears he isn't cheating; except the other doesn't know that.

Besides, he had finished early and there was no way he would even want to look at anyone else’s test. If he had to be truthful, Changkyun was probably the only one of a small handful of kids in the class who actually cared about what grade he got, (for someone who studied and wanted a future they should) and nobody else really gave a rat's ass anyway.

Spending the last hellish minutes that felt like an eternity, trying to make the time go by fast sitting at his desk as he counted the holes in the tile ceiling and doodling small army stick figures shooting at a Godzilla on his scratch paper. He just wished the teacher would let him go after he finished, yet here he is knowing he could be doing something else right now. 

The sun was still up to say hello and welcoming itself through the windows when the forecast had said it would rain because they were never really right. Even if the sunlight had good intentions to bring more life into the room, it didn’t work to take out the lifeless look everyone had in their eyes. 

It was the last class of the day and everyone wanted to go home with there only being minutes left to spare, some students still needing to finish. And when the sweet sound of the bell rang, as if their prayers were answered, all the students shot up like moles from Whack-A-Mole; and Changkyun did the same. 

Swinging his bag over his shoulder and turning his test in with confidence, Changkyun walks out of the classroom like a free man. He just wants to get home quickly to catch some z's and maybe count some sheep, especially since his parents were out of town for a month due to a business trip. He'll probably throw a small party with his friends and host a mini horror movie night. But for today: _Sleep is_ _a priority._

“Hey, Changkyun, Ma man!” An arm wraps around his neck and almost chokes him to death. Now, Changkyun did want to sleep, but this was not the way he wanted it to be. Even though he was a tad bit shorter than his friend Jooheon, he could still smell the strong use of hair spray and the recently dyed hair chemicals that were now a blonde. His varsity jacket always worn as if he never took it off, and he wasn’t even in a sport nor a team which was something that Changkyun never understood. “Finally we can leave this hell hole and go to the arcade. We should go and grab Minhyuk along. He said he was going to be at the front of the school waiting for us.” 

“Games? After that test, I had in my class my brain is like scrambled eggs. I'm fried man.” _ Fried eggs did sound pretty good right now too. _

“Oh please. You're smart and I doubt you'll get a bad grade on the test. Everyone else in this school thinks that as long as you know your ABCs and can be able to count to a hundred, you're like freaking Einstein.” 

Changkyun rolls his eyes despite it being true to some extent. With only one paper due for each class, two if it was a hard day, people just didn't care really for homework, and sometimes the teachers don't even care too. Just a slap on the wrist and a wave of the finger and that was it. 

“But I don't think I'll successfully win against you in a game; at least not right now; it's an unfair fight. Like if you and I were in a boxing match and I showed up in a cast, I think we know how that will end." 

“Well, then that's on you for showing up in a cast.” 

“Fine. I'll give you that one, but today is Monday we can go tomorrow, or even the next day, don't worry. You make it seem like the world will end today, sheesh." 

Jooheon juts his bottom lip out as he gives Changkyun such sad eyes, pleading with a cherry on top. Changkyun had always done anything for his friend when he received _the face _when they were little. The furthest thing was giving Jooheon permission to play with his prized doll and the end result wasn't too pretty. He could never really argue against Jooheon's sad puppy look and his dimples; two things that had a big effect on Changkyun. It's a weak spot, but this time, he’s the stronger man. 

Changkyun turns his attention elsewhere and Jooheon lets out a sigh. “Fine. We'll go get Minhyuk and we’ll go do something more relaxed like eat. It would have been fun and way easier to beat you with your so-called scrambled egg brain.”

“Screw off. I’d probably end up beating you.” He gives Jooheon a small playful push with a laugh as they head over to grab their other friend.

Walking amongst the crowds of exiting students, they make it out the entrance doors, spotting Minhyuk a fair distance away from the top of the stairs. His now strawberry-blonde hair, a little long but still a short length and sporting his black sunglasses that almost never left his face. The tight pants that were the current trend followed by a black tee, red plaid button top, and denim jacket; practically twinning with Jooheon by using waaay too much hair products; that most being hair spray.

Leaning against the pole, Minhyuk waves to anyone that passes by him; a social butterfly. Always smiling and not one to judge somebody too quickly. 

Once in close proximity, Minhyuk looks up and taking off his sunglasses as he greets Jooheon and Changkyun with their own handshake.

“Ayeee, there are you guys are. Almost left without you and could have gone alone.” He teased, beginning to walk to their planned destination. 

“Like you would do that without us. Since mushy egg brain here was complaining," Jooheon points his thumb to Changkyun, earning a squint back. “We decided to hit up the local fast food joint. The popular one that’s always crowded and looks like the inside of a clowns car; color and quantity of people wise.” 

"So no arcade?” Minhyuk sulks, something he’d been looking forward to till after school has now just disappeared. “Damn, and here I was thinking that I could finally beat Jooheon’s high score. It’s higher than my grades and let me remind you, my grades are good.”

Changkyun laughs, reminded by all the moments he’s watched the two bicker and try to one-up the other in scores. When one of them does beat the other, it’s just a continuous cycle of going back and forth with another number higher than the previous one. They just need to tone it down a little more before they get kicked out like the last time. Jooheon ended up getting so worked up he accidentally knocked over his soda all over the buttons and controls on one of the machines. 

Jooheon begins to walk backward, hands in his faded blue jeans, catching the small chuckles that Changkyun lets out. “What’s so funny to you egg head? Are you up to something?”

Changkyun scoffs as he earns a questionable look from the pair. “No, I’m not up to something. Just reminded by how crazy you guys get when you play against one another. I would love to battle today, but after the fast-food joint I need to get home.” Even though his parents were gone on a trip. He didn’t want to lie, and he really wasn’t lying. _ Was he? _

“I still think we should go." Minhyuk pitches the idea again.

“Well, I’m sorry, but you can’t come between me and my Magnum P.I. It comes on tonight and I gotta watch it.” Changkyun leaves it at that as if that solves everything but, Jooheon and Minhyuk aren't going to let it go that easy. 

“You’re choosing Tom Selleck over us?” Minhyuk holds his chest with an exaggerated gasp, faking a wipe of a tear. “I am just hurt, Im Changkyun.” 

“Hey, you can't deny, he has a very nice looking mustache.” 

Changkyun points a finger in Minhyuk's face. 

Truth be told, he was also just really tired and worn out. _ Who wouldn't want to go to sleep when you just get out of school; almost everyone does at least. _ It doesn’t mean that he wanted to be away from his friends or that he didn’t like them, no, no, he just wasn’t in the mood to move around too much. 

Changkyun would enjoy eating at the local food joint despite how crowded they get after school, though when he thought about it. Even though both places were crowded, there would be less moving around. The arcade would be too much for him right now. Changkyun just really wanted to watch his show and pass out on his pillow to drool. 

“He does have a pretty nice ‘stache.” Jooheon nods his head in agreement with a satisfied look on his face. 

Hitting the first place on their list (and last for Changkyun), the food joint plays Take On Me by A-ha and they’re filled with the familiar faces of people from their school. _ Wonderful. The place looks like an overstuffed pack of sardines. _The usual white with yellow bordered tables paired with the red chairs and way in the back where either blue and red booths. Very catching to the eye, (more like an eyesore) almost blinding with brightness. Each table topped with a napkin dispenser alongside some red and yellow color-coordinated ketchup and mustard bottles; as if the place needed more red and yellow. There were some spaces for seating which wasn't too bad, but the air had gotten too hot and the chatter increased louder than the music, not to mention the staff didn't keep a mindful eye of what the students were doing. 

With a small hand against his back from Minhyuk, they make their way to an uninhabited table. It was Minhyuk’s turn to go order their food, knowing what they all wanted since they've been there countless times. Jooheon folded his hands on the table, pulling out some napkins to wipe away whatever crumbs were left on the table from the previous animals, and Changkyun grimaces in disgust. 

“Ugh. This place is a mess after school. Once all the kids come inside the staff can't keep up and don’t care until they've all left. I can still see the greasy fingers from the previous numbskulls that were here.” Jooheon shivers. 

He reaches out to put the napkin close to Changkyun's faces who backs away and slaps the hand, frowning as he emits a quick and loud ‘blegh’. 

“Very funny you clown.” 

Jooheon laughs and looks around to go throw the piece of garbage away. When he comes back, so does Minhyuk with their tray of food who is busy ogling a girl's ass, sunglasses sliding down the bridge of his nose and he stops to smile at the pair. Jooheon also joins in with lips in line and down very slightly as his eyebrows move up and proceed to nod in agreement. Changkyun can't help but stare at the shiny orbs and chuckles, shaking his head.

“Thank God for tight pants,” Minhyuk says as he sits down and places the tray in front of them all with a big grin on his face. “If Neil Armstrong went back up to the moon, he’d probably find out Earth had two more.” 

“Not sure her ass was _ that _big. Everything though has been way too big because all you really see is shiny popped out thighs and butts. Even everyone’s hair is filled with so much hairspray and perming that they can’t even fit the yearbook photos.” Changkyun unwraps his hamburger a little more for an easier bite. He does style his hair, having more bangs on one certain side and mostly parted, used even hairspray but not as much as the flammable blonde twins in front of him. 

Jooheon squeezes some ketchup on the thin paper that lines the tray, dipping a hot salted french fry into it. "We're only five years in the 80s and I already feel like the next few years will be great. And all because of them tight pants. I'm loving it." _ Bada ba ba bah. _

Minhyuk opens his mouth to respond but looks up when something behind the Changkyun catches his eyes, and the expression is…questionable. Changkyun turns around but by that time it's too late. Amongst many of the familiar faces in the colorful crowd, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. 

“What?”

“No,” Minhyuk looks again as if his eyes were tricking him. “I just thought I saw something weird. Maybe it’s just me and my weird eyesight. Just forget about it, probably nothing.”

Changkyun still turns back once more as his friends carry on the conversation and resume eating. He would press forward with more questions but, if the others brushed it off then so will he. Though it did stay in the back of his mind as he slowly chewed his food. The thought seemed to be eating him the more as he would ponder. It was just the way Minhyuk had stared, examining and _ questioning. _

A greasy, soggy fry comes in contact with his face, sliding down his big nose like a snow sled down a hill.

The pair both choke a laugh at Changkyun’s face, with Minhyuk close to spitting out his carbonated drink. _ Not cool man, but revenge will be sweet. _And Changkyun chooses this time to pick up a french fry covered in ketchup.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It’s late, a bit too late when Changkyun looks at the desk clock that makes his eyes hurt every time he looks at the numbers. He didn't sleep when he arrived home like he had wanted, knowing the homework would take many hours to complete, and he was right. 

Leaning back in his chair, Changkyun exhales and soon stands to stretch his legs as the pain in his knees started to grow. The words on the paper began to blend together from all the concentration and hours of constant reading and writing, it ached his head. Studying for hours has him not able to continue on his homework anymore, and downstairs with perfect timing, the landline rings. He makes his way down to the noise, answering it with hello as he leans against the wall. In a few seconds, the phone is away from his ears when Jooheon cheerfully responds. 

“Hey, ma man! What are you up to right now? Minhyuk goes to bed early, as usual, so you’re the only one I can chat with right now.” 

“It shocks me that he goes to sleep so early, but he gets good grades so it must be part of the reason.” 

Jooheon chuckles. “Yeah, but that’s not my style. You won’t have time to really do things after school which is a bummer. I know last year his grades were crap, I just didn’t think he would change his schedule in like a total one-eighty.” There’s a crunch on the other end and some crinkling of a bag, followed by munching. “Though, I am proud of him because his hard work is paying off.”

“Yeah, he was pretty distraught. Did you need to talk about anything else other than Minhyuk being a changed man? I’m not giving you the answers to the homework.”

“Nah, just bored. I finished what I needed to do or most of it rather. I just needed a break from all the homework because I was so close to dropping out.” The pair chuckle, relatable and Changkyun felt the same even if the school year was near the end. He himself had to take a breather before he was close to fainting. 

“Ditto. Just started to take a break now because my cranium couldn’t handle any more pi.” 

“Well, if your head can’t take anymore then you still have room in your stomach.” Jooheon jokes, and it brings a smile to Changkyun’s face. 

“I did watch Magnum PI, so I think I’ve had enough.”

Jooheon snorts. _ Puns and jokes; the best thing ever. _“Shoot. I need to start going now or else mom is going to kill me for being on the phone for too long. Even just picking the thing up she’ll say something so I better leave. ”

“Sad. We were just exchanging fun sentences.” 

“I know, I know. Tomorrow, or whenever I can call back. Most likely at three-fourteen..” 

“Alright, call back when you piece it all together, see you, Joo.” 

“See you, ma man.” Changkyun laughs for the last time on the call before the other hangs up. He always likes it when Jooheon calls him that all because of the tone he uses, a loud and elongation of the word man. No matter how many times it has been said, it always made him laugh and brighten his day. It wasn’t anything special, but Changkyun found it to be so. 

Changkyun looks outside to the partly illuminated street with the wish to take a night walk. It was late, close to midnight and he wanted to go around the neighborhood to kill some time. Changkyun always loved the night and the cool breeze against him, the air conditioning never could compete. No need to worry about so much like he would in the day, and the cars driving along the street created a nice sound to his ears. 

The shows on the box television didn’t interest him when looking at the tv guide, and he already watched Magnum P.I.; even Golden Girls because not going to lie; he loves that show. Changkyun doesn’t even want to think about cleaning the house or anything else to pass the time; too much work. Something that wouldn’t make him more tired than before, or anything that doesn’t have him to do any more labor. 

Grabbing his jacket that hangs from the coat rack, Changkyun wraps himself in the rusty brown leather with fuzz inside and steps into chilling night. It’s always cold in town when the moon rises and the night makes its appearance. Nose turning slightly red and Changkyun reaches for the mittens in his pockets before he loses feeling in his fingers. 

He closes and locks the door behind him, rubbing his fuzzy hands together. It’s nice outside with no more cars driving down the side streets, and even though there really weren’t many streetlights, the front porch lights on some of the houses seem to work just fine with the moon guiding him through the night. He isn’t going too far into darkness, just maybe around the block to free up all his nerves. 

Changkyun walks down his planned path, watching his breath appear in a cloud in front of him and he does it a few more times on purpose. Another reason why he loves going in the cold, he feels like a dragon, more like one that has lost its flames. His deep giggles fill the silent night, staring down at his converse. There were about five houses that have their lights on inside, all being across the street and still he sees not a single other soul. 

Proceeding forward down the street, passing by a few houses of classmates as he nears the school a few more blocks away. It isn’t a short distance, but it is pretty lengthy when you’re in a hurry, though he won't travel _ that _far. There’s no sound except his breathing and footsteps, giving him a small chill and Changkyun rubs his arms to produce more warmth. 

He stares up into the starless sky, pitch dark like a black hole in space and he looks miles and miles into it. The moon, a natural and calming night light, gives him comfort in a way that he's being looked after, and Changkyun smiles at the thought. 

Getting his thoughts together, he turns the corner when he reaches the end of the street and he places his hands back into his pockets. Not that they need to be since they’re warm in the mittens, but it feels comfortable. Changkyun sighs with another sight of his breath in front of him, and he turns his head to the lined up houses. And when he does, it feels like the air has become colder when he looks at a sign he wish he hadn’t read. If it was daytime, he’d feel a little safer, but now that it was late, it didn’t sit well with him. 

_ Warning. Neighborhood Watch. _

Even though it should reassure him that there is a group of civilians devoted to crime and vandalism prevention in his town, it doesn’t take away his thoughts. The more he thinks about it makes him uneasy to the core, and he can't hate himself for thinking it was a good idea to come outside, it was something he did many times. He's seen that sign many times, but something about it right now was _ concerning. _

If anything were to happen, he could just run to a house next to him and bang on it for help. Changkyun doesn’t want to think about that now, not this late. 

He takes his hands out of his pockets to wrap around himself again as if the fur within the jacket has stopped keeping him warm. The mittens seem to almost not work anymore and Changkyun feels cold, but still makes it to the end of the street. Just one more sidewalk after this, and he could finally get home, so he quickened his pace a little. 

He might not even continue studying when he gets home. Just wanting to get into bed and finish up in the morning instead of pushing forward with him being so on edge. Not that he needs to finish since it wasn’t due until two days later, but he wanted it finished and not have to think about it ever again. 

Changkyun looked ahead of him, only to be met with the empty sidewalk and his breath. He feels like he's overreacting a little after making contact with the sign. That’s until he hears footsteps other than his own. It came almost so silently where it could have crept up behind him as if it just floated and landed on the ground. It’s slow, but Changkyun doesn’t dare to look back and keeps going forward like nothing. 

He’s shaking from the cold and the fright that runs through his body, putting his mittens in his pocket again. Changkyun isn’t sure if the person behind him is just like him and taking a small nightly stroll, or if it’s a stranger about to attack for him for everything he has on him; which is _ nothing. _

No money to give, and no valuables on him, just Changkyun and the clothes that are holding his fear. He’s so close to his home, but doesn’t want to show where he lives as that wouldn’t be a very smart thing to do. 

A turn of the corner and it’s the last one before reaches home with the footsteps behind him still slow. It was as if no matter how much Changkyun quickened his pace, or tried to get away, the stranger would catch up. The relaxed pace that the unknown person set makes Changkyun uneasy, sick and the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He still doesn’t look back, his mind just set on going home to lock his doors to be flooded with light and warmth. 

For some reason, the air gets tighter and colder like the stranger behind him was something more malicious. Changkyun’s breath feels seemingly heavier, and he licks his lips, cold and dry.

_ Then it stops. _

His footsteps were now the only thing through the night, but Changkyun continues forward without hesitation, and then sprints. He doesn’t look back and doesn’t falter any further, and he’s just waiting for the stranger to start charging at him. But it doesn’t come and Changkyun doesn’t feel an ounce of relief, _ not yet. _

Even though nothing else is to be heard, Changkyun still feels the eyes bore into the back of his skull and he just keeps running. His lungs begin to burn, the puffs of his breath rapid as he exhales, and the cold air slicing against his face. Legs almost like jelly as he runs down the street, the more familiar houses coming into view; kneecaps close to popping off.

Reaching into his pocket Changkyun pulls out his keys, the mittens making it harder to grip, but luckily doesn’t drop them. It wouldn’t serve him any good if that were to happen, still feeling those eyes stare and almost maybe enjoy his panic, he doesn’t know. With Changkyun’s gaze down and then back up to the block, he repeats this a few times as he searches for the front door key, cursing to himself for having too many keychains and crap on them. Changkyun gets it ready in case of an attack, placing it tightly between his index and thumb for self-defense. 

He feels lightheaded, but his house is just a few steps away and it gives him the motivation to move his legs a little faster. Most of the front porch lights are now gone, but Changkyun doesn’t want to stick around any longer outside. 

The house now in front of him, his feet run to the front door with the key practically slamming in the keyhole to turn it. He shuts it hard behind himself, hearing the click as he locks it and backs away from the door. 

The keys fall to the carpet floor, making Changkyun bend over and breathe, lungs on fire like hell was having a party.

It’s quiet, except for the heavy breathing coming from him, and he feels safe as seconds, then minutes pass. Changkyun rids himself of his jacket, hanging it up on the coat rack and takes off his shoes, placing the mittens back in the pockets. 

He’s tired and didn’t get the relaxing walk that he wanted. It’s never happened before, done thousands of times to do many things like go down to Jooheon’s or Minhyuk’s place, go to late-night school events, or get something from the store and to just nightly strolls. This had been the first time he’d been followed by someone in the night, at least that’s what he thinks. 

The other part of Changkyun's brain hopes it was just some person taking a stroll as well, but it still never settled right. 

Changkyun sighs, rubbing his face and brushing his hair away to go upstairs and into his room. _ Sleep. He needs sleep. _His eyelids feel more tired than before, and his whole body is cold. Wanting the warmth and comfort of his mattress, his safe place within his safe place.

Not bothering to change, he lets his body hit his bed and sighs in content as he nuzzles the pillow. Changkyun hopes and prays it'll be better the next day, eyes shutting quickly and with no effort. 

However, when he wakes up the next day for school, everyone at school is on edge when Changkyun arrives, the air being tight and eyes looking elsewhere or to the ground. 

Nobody wants to talk about it, but people do want to chatter amongst themselves at the same time. The town is safe, and it’s small yet, almost everybody knows each other, so they really can’t suspect anything. Doors are actually always unlocked, but after what happened, Changkyun knows more people will be locking them. 

He looks back to last night and his nightly stroll. Could the person that had followed him be the suspect? He never looked back, so he can’t describe the person or give any tips except maybe the creeper stalks people at night. But he also can’t be too sure.

When Changkyun was walking to school with Jooheon and Minhyuk, they tried their best to not talk about it, even if it was itching them. The victim had been a prostitute, most likely taken possibly from the dark cold nights of the street. The police still had no leads for the crime, and they didn’t know what the next move was, heard from a student whose dad was a cop. But Changkyun doesn't want to think about it, even though in the back of his mind the thought is lurking. 

"Hey, did you hear on the news about the murder? Do you think they're going to catch the person?" A light-brunette girl asks a friend when Changkyun walks by and recognizing it to be someone in his economics class. He stops for a while, curious about what she had to say next. “Police say that she could have been attacked by an animal, but other markings had also said otherwise. Her head wasn’t even attached to the body anymore.” 

The pair leave down the hall after getting the books from their lockers and continue to chatter about the incident until Changkyun can’t hear it anymore. 

It's the talk of the town, even if he doesn’t want to think about it, others will continue to converse amongst themselves. Now it was just something unavoidable, hearing it down every hall he went through. Whatever was following him, if the same person or not, then they're willing to go after anybody in town then.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It's cold on a dark night of the same day, the crickets chirping through the silence but, it couldn't be heard over the box television that played Magnum P.I. Changkyun sat on his bean bag, stuffing his face with some air-popped popcorn, entranced with tonight's set of episodes. His night had been relaxed after parting ways with his friends and taking a nice hot shower. Alone in the house and not having to worry about anyone bothering him, or have anything to do around the house was sweet bliss. 

Eyes transfixed on the television screen, it turns to black quickly before going into a commercial break and something catches his eyes. The reflection of a black outline appears for a second before the color comes back on the screen, covering whatever was there. A figure to be more exact. 

He turns around to get a better look and his eyes widen slightly. Across from him and into the house next over stands a woman in a silky gray-pink pajama dress with black designs, a red robe loosely around her. Her figure being illuminated by the minimal moonlight and soft glow of a few candles. 

The window was closed but the curtains were wide open for all to see, and Changkyun feels his throat turn dry and tight. He isn't sure why, but his gaze is so transfixed onto the woman, which was..._ odd. _There was something about her that made you keep on staring. 

Next door had been abandoned for a few months, too big and too many problems with the structure and plumbing and whatnot. He wasn't aware that someone had moved in. 

Before he could try to look away, the red robe drops to the floor and at that moment, she makes eye contact with Changkyun. _ Shit. _He's screwed. Or so he thinks. She doesn't curse him out, and she doesn't close the blinds but instead, she holds the gaze. It's long and luring as if she has him tied in a rope, pulling him closer to her and his breath halted, but she doesn't do anything to stop him. Her light forest green eyes were very noticeable and Changkyun is surprised that he could even see them clearly.

She sheds her silky dress, curves more prominent and leaves her undergarments still on and her hair falling delicately on her shoulders as she removed the clip. Changkyun blinks like it's the first time he's ever done so since he started watching, and then blinks again, a few more times for that matter. He gulps, still unable to tear away from the scene. He probably looks like some horny nineteen years old, who has never seen a woman half-naked before. 

Slowly from the shadows, a man appears from behind. His hand touching her shoulder ever so gently with the back of his hand. They're both equally good looking, and it makes Changkyun stare more. He's stuck, and the scene is attracting him closer, like how bees are to honey. The man hands make their way down her arms to caress, and the woman slowly goes to unhook her bra. 

Eyes traveling from her face to her collar bone, soft and delicate within the night, his gaze traveling down to her breasts. They're more natural than pushed up into the bra, and she resembles a Greek statue, molded and crafted perfectly, each detail of her breathtaking. Changkyun's eyes don't linger too long, and it's back to her eyes where her expression is emotionless. 

_ This isn't right. This totally isn't right. _

For one, he shouldn't be staring at the couple that are naked the waist up and in a sensual moment. Second, if he's caught (well, he is caught but not by the man who could come and punch him) most likely he wouldn't be able to show his face later for a proper neighborly introduction. And third, well, those were his new neighbors, not a good way to meet new people is through the window. _ 'Hey, I'm Changkyun, just watching Magnum P.I until you started your own porn show.' _ Maybe if the circumstances where a little different then it wouldn't be that bad, but this? This _ was _ bad.

Changkyun observes how the man runs his fingers through her hair, seeing just how soft it looks from afar, shining from the limited moonlight. The man kisses her neck, sharp nose brushing against the skin. With a hand on her shoulder, she arches her neck and closes her eyes, breaking the eye contact. 

The male lifts up his head and opens his mouth, and that's when Changkyun's blood runs cold when he sees something that doesn't look normal. He blinks once, then twice, then a few times more to focus his eyes to see it correctly, hoping it was either his eyesight or his brain was playing tricks on him. 

Sharp fangs distinctively different from the rest of his teeth, and Changkyun feels as if he's staring more than before if that was even possible. He thinks it's a well thought out prank at first and that they're fake like some kind of plan to scare and freak him out. The man lowers his mouth slowly to her neck when he notices another presence and looks up across the window, eyes glowing a red that pierces Changkyun’s chest like a dagger. But the look on his face doesn't seem pleased in the slightest, lifting up his head away from the woman.

Changkyun gulps once more, the hard lump stuck in his throat, blocking his airways as his breath tries to come up. He feels like he's shaking a little when the man stares through his chest and grabbing his heart to pull it out of his ribcage. Changkyun backs up in his seat, falling out of his bean bag, scattering further away from the window. Both now have their eyes on him, having Changkyun's stare stopping the man from biting the woman, girlfriend or whatever the hell is now going on. The man makes his way closer to the window, now visibly annoyed and blocks the woman from Changkyun's line of sight. 

Changkyun quickly stands up, not bothering to care about the bucket of popcorn being kicked to the floor and he slowly steps back, closer to his room door. His body felt hot and his breath quickened the longer they stare at one another. 

He was the _ prey. _

He felt small and helpless, trapped as the eyes bore into his body as it could almost see through him. 

A hand reaches for a dangled string to close the curtains, and there's one last look. The pair are hidden from the egg-white curtain and television (that Changkyun forgot was in the background) still plays now a different show, bringing some kind of sense of reality into his mind. His eyes still heavily focus on the now-closed window, body trembling as the cold shiver seems to remain and continue the more he also thinks about what just happened. 

It's silent even though the television sounds in the background, but that doesn't really register. With shaky hands, Changkyun picks up the small popcorn pieces that scatter the floor, vividly replaying the incident over and over and over again. The quiet air brings out every one of Changkyun's fears, a sense of eyes still watching him, reading him, and looking through him; he doesn't dare want to turn back around. 

In the dead of night, there is a deep scream that cuts the night air, one that makes his blood feel like it stopped circulating. Changkyun's breath is stuck in his throat as his head whips back to the closed window, and he once again just stares. It's not until another scream does he forgets about cleaning. Everything in Changkyun's hands falls and he quickly runs out with legs fast down each step and passing through the living room to only stop at the front door. 

With his hand on the doorknob, Changkyun thinks about where he's going to go, and how long it'll take to get to his planned destination. He backs up and it doesn't help that he's currently alone in the house while his parents are away for a long vacation. If he goes out now in the dead of night, then he puts himself in danger yet again. 

If he decides to stay inside the house, he still feels extremely unsafe. He can't call Jooheon and Minhyuk's landline, it's too late and he would be a bother, and an even bigger nuisance if he shows up in a panic without warning. He could use the house phone to call the police but, what would he say to them? What if nothing comes out of the situation and they leave? Was it really just a prank and Changkyun is just overthinking?

He feels trapped and slowly backs away from the door. Changkyun thanks his lucky stars that nothing has happened in the minutes passed, and eventually he has the sense to go to the kitchen to drink some water. _ Maybe it was just an imagination. Yeah. That's what that is. _

But the scream that Changkyun heard is stuck in his head and still shakes him to the core. He wonders if he should go back to his room, to check if it's safe and he hopes he isn't high on something like inhaling the fumes of the stove or something. 

Gulping down a glass of water, Changkyun feels his throat practically coming back to life, opening back up again and the desert palette of a tongue has found the oasis. He exhales a few times before his brain begins to think clearly and sort this out. No more screams heard and Changkyun chucks it to be his imagination in the end. But would he dare to go back into his room to sleep? No. _ Hell. Definitely. No. _

But, what did he just witness? How could he really make sense of what he saw? Changkyun ponders in the kitchen, grabbing himself another glass of water while he thinks. Those fangs he remembers so vividly along with those eyes that feel as if they still bore into him. Glowing a color of bright ruby red that he's never seen before, and of course, not on a human but maybe an animal. From the horror television shows he'd watch late at night, could the neighbor be a… _ no, don't be silly. _

For now, Changkyun grabs the throw blanket to instead sleep on the mustard-yellow couch, and watch television until he decided it was time to pass out. If there happened to be any additional noises he would avoid (other than his house being broken into), he wishes the television would block it out. Grabbing the remote to turn on any good late-night shows that could help him fall asleep if he could. Luckily for him, he would be able to sleep all he wants in case the tiredness doesn't take over his body with it being the weekend. His mind needs to be distracted, occupied until the event of earlier no longer lingered. 

Shifting on the cardboard couch, Changkyun forcibly closes his eyes and lets the sounds of the television lull him to sleep— sort of. With nerves still flowing through his body, and two hours passing of blinking behind his closed eyelids, he soon finds the strength to succumb to sleep. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Changkyun wakes up with a headache and birds outside chirping over the low volumes that the television makes. He can barely move with his neck cramping from the position on the couch. He wraps the blanket closer to him and huddles into a ball as he tugs on the want to sleep more before it pulls away from him, not wanting to wake just yet. A moan releases and he soon feels like he's slowly becoming awaken the more the birds bother him. As if adding salt into the wounds, the alarm of a car goes off and it makes Changkyun wanna go mad.

Instead of counting sheep, he's considering counting how many birds he could shoo away if he throws a rock into the tree but, what would be the point since he would be awake for that to happen. 

Losing the battle with his body, Changkyun opens up his eyes, the house dark and the only light source coming from the television screen; a dim and tolerate light for the eyes, minus the rays and stuff that emits from it. He turns to stare at the ceiling, and Changkyun's mind projects last night's event onto its surface like some kind of film. The whole scene felt too real to be a joke, but he feels as if he's making himself believe that. 

_ Vampire. _

Changkyun's heard of them but never would believe that there was one out there. They were almost always depicted in horror television shows, probably more popular than Frankenstein or even ghosts. That was all make-believe until now, _ maybe _, but he really wishes it was just some cruel sick joke. Hoping the couple, or newlyweds or whatever the hell their relationship was, that they were laughing their asses off once the curtains closed. 

Wanting to believe that because Changkyun had been staring at the woman who so happened to undress right in front of an open window, that they would teach him a lesson through that. It had to be some kind of prank for someone to be that easily exposed. 

There's a heavy knock on the front door that makes Changkyun almost throw up his lungs from how quickly he halted his breathing. He doesn't remember inviting anybody over, and with what happened yesterday, he really didn't want to touch the knob, not even take a look at it. Another few taps on the door makes Changkyun's skin crawl, and he doesn't feel brave enough to open it. 

He's not good with meeting new people really, especially since he keeps a bit to himself and rather prefers solitude. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want love and attention and some need from others, mostly those closest to him. 

"Maybe he's not inside and already left for school. “Changkyun hears Minhyuk says behind the door, muffled yet, still coherent.

A wave of relief washes over Changkyun, who throws his blanket somewhat off of him and still caught in his legs as he tries to stand. He makes contact with the carpeted floor, hands and elbows catching him a little. He clumsily gets back on his feet to run to the door and look through the peephole, seeing his friends stand as they wait for him to open the door. 

"Maybe we should have called the landline first to let him know we were coming? But if he left already then he would have called one of our house phones, so let's go back." Minhyuk suggests, stepping away from the door only to stop when Changkyun frantically opens the door and the pair turn back around. "Yeah, we should have called." 

They stare at Changkyun's hair that looks to be defying the laws of physics and gravity, going different directions, looking like the strands of hair were playing double dutch. He looks like a wild animal with bags under his eyes and one side of his shirt halfway on his shoulder clinging to life. Changkyun for sure didn't look like he was ready for any type of company.

After looking at Changkyun as if he was growing a twin on the side of his neck, Minhyuk opens his mouth. "Were you mixing chemicals for a science experiment? What happened to you?" 

"I love you bro but, you look like shit." 

"Thanks, Joo, Min," Changkyun opens the door wider for them to step inside and with a few extra looks outside to make sure nothing was behind or watching them, he closes the door. "I know I’m not dressed for school, but something happened last night and I couldn't sleep very well. Or maybe it was a dream. I don't know, but I don't want to talk about it. It's a new day and we should go to school." 

"I don't want to push you to talk about whatever happened last night, but you better not be owing someone money." Jooheon chuckles and it honestly puts ease on Changkyun's heart. Even though both are bad, he kind of wishes it was that and not what he had witnessed last night. Changkyun wants to believe the incident was a dream and if he told his friends, they’d look at him as if he was taking crack cocaine. So for now, or possibly forever, he’ll keep it to himself and imagination. 

"No, no, I don't owe anyone anything. And I hope I never do in my life. I’ll go up and take a quick shower, and then change. How many minutes do I have?” 

Minhyuk looks for the clock that hangs on the wall as Changkyun frantically fixes up the couch to look presentable, even though the pair will be sitting on it in just a few minutes. “ Hm, about a little over thirty minutes. Not really enough time so you better hurry.” 

“Crap. Okay, just make yourselves at home as usual and I’ll be right back down.” Changkyun runs up the steps and into his room, rummaging through his drawers for clothes and when turning around, he stops. He never shut the curtains to the window, leaving him to stand and stare to the other house that had no movement, nothing that Changkyun could see. It was just a normal building as if the whole thing he saw was a dream. Hesitantly, he steps closer to the window and peeks out, the neighbor’s curtains were still closed and shut, hoping it stays that way. 

With time coming back into his mind, Changkyun gathers his already packed bag that was organized the night before after he finished his work. Throwing the bag over his shoulder, he grabs his clothes and runs out of the room, hearing his friends below converse and laugh about a teacher at school. He stops, dropping his book bag near the bathroom door and looks through the piles of clothes he just grabbed, and sighs. 

_ Socks. Forgot about the socks. _

Quickly jogging back into his room, he opens the drawer to get what he needs and just before he can leave, his eyes trail to the window yet again. It was a habit, something he almost couldn’t control, and he wishes he hadn’t.

_ It’s opened. _

The neighbor’s curtains were opened, and someone or _ something _ had just been there and possibly even watching him. He can’t see inside because it’s daylight, but he doesn’t want to stare any further. A cold and hard shiver runs down Changkyun back and seeps into his bones, quickly turning away and closing the door before he makes eye contact with something he wouldn’t want to see. _ He needs to leave his own home. _ Let studies and lunch and maybe even a teacher yelling at him to make him forget, but he doesn’t think it’s going to be that easy. 

Once Changkyun takes his military-like shower, he steps and changes to make himself too look less like a mess and tries to cover his bagged eyes. He’s tired, a little on edge than he was before and isn’t in the mood to go to school, but life and education calls. 

Fixing a few more strands of hair, he makes his way out and down the stairs, eyes trained on the clock with about twenty minutes left; they could make it if they run. Jooheon can give that varsity jacket some use and look like he belongs more into a sport_. _ Changkyun gives himself the okay and grabs his bag, heading downstairs where his friends are watching Sesame Street on the television it was still so early. Jooheon and Minhyuk stand and are practically pushed out of the house with Changkyun locking it quickly. 

They walk down the sidewalk, speeding like the elderly woman who lives down the street that exercises with her visor and sunglasses. It’s bright out, the sun shining and giving hope for a better today and the air fresh and clean, giving Changkyun the ease to inhale and exhale without that tight and squeezing feeling his chest. 

“You guys better hurry. Those grades are important.” 

A voice makes all their heads turn in sync, and Changkyun is the only one who ends up choking on the lungs that just gave him the room to finally breathe. Out in the front of his neighbors’ lawn, stand two men, and only one of them does Changkyun recognizes to be the man from last night. The woman is nowhere to be seen, and he hopes she is inside alive.

Behind the man that greets the trio, sits the brunette; the one from the window incident that still stares through him and into his soul, like Changkyun himself was a window. Emotions and expressions opened, easy to read and an easy prey. Instead of the bare chest, the other wears a black turtleneck topped with a rustic brown jacket over it and black fitted pants. The other man has a different attitude, a smile planted on his lips as he carries what looks to be moving boxes. A stocky and well-built person, his hair brown and pushed back to be out of his face, his eyes charming and friendly. The tee shirt hugged against him too tightly, could rip at any moment.

Then it clicks for Changkyun.

_ Vampires can’t be in the sun. _

“Thanks! Studying for that piece of paper and handshake we get for everything we do!” Minhyuk shouts back, waving his arm as if he’d known them for months. The stocky man laughs, but the other one just continues to star Changkyun turns away, now jogging alongside his friends to try and get to school on time with his nerves even more on edge than before. 

Minhyuk speaks up again, voice low. “You know, I think I saw that dude yesterday.” 

"Which one?" Jooheon asks, taking out some strawberry pop rocks from his sports jacket. 

"The buff one. No idea who the other dude behind him was, maybe his brother, I don't know. I just thought it was weird 'cause he left the fast food joint with like five bags of food." 

“Maybe it was some kind of party?” Changkyun and Minhyuk both look at Jooheon suspiciously at the idea. _ Fast food for a party? Wouldn’t you want like real food? _ After the silence, Jooheon sends them an odd look back as if what he said wasn’t all that weird. It wasn’t, _ sort of _, but it was an interesting suggestion. “What? Sometimes you want to have fast food not inside and just want to take it home. Why do you think they invented drive-thrus.”

Minhyuk nods his head, taking Jooheon’s pack of pop rocks. “Alright. You got a somewhat point there.”

“But, it looks like they’re just moving in. I can’t believe someone is now living next to me again.” Changkyun sighs. The last neighbors he had were noisy, always loud and blasting music from the windows. They would always party at night and get drunk, literally the whole block hated them. Only two months later, one of the individuals had gotten arrested for throwing toilet paper and egging a person's house. Not to mention they even were caught with molotov cocktails. “For sure I’m not going to invite them over because I hate meeting my neighbors.” 

"Yeah, because I had to do it, it seems." Minhyuk rolled his jokingly, earning a playful shove. 

Watching as the trio leave down the street, the well-built man comes back out after putting a box in one room to look at the other not moving an inch. “Still thinking about the night before Kihyun?”

Kihyun looks away from the now empty spot, eye trained on the other boxes that scatter the front porch. Thoughts fill his head on what to do about the situation, and he doesn’t want to lose control because there are only _ two _options in mind. “Of course I am. First time this has ever happened, I’ve never been caught like this.”

“Did he see everything?”

“Yes Wonho, of course he did. He saw all the fangs and the eyes, what more could he have seen. I had thought I made sure that window was closed.” Kihyun looks up, eyes squinting. “I don’t know what’s going to come next, but maybe if I scare him a little he will keep quiet. If I turn him, I’m pretty sure that would make things worse, and well, I think you can guess the other option but that's already risky right now too. What would you do if you were in my position?”

“I think you’re thinking about this way too far and too much. Besides, if he does tell who would believe him? People would think he’s been watching too much of that square magic they call television.” Wonho shrugs his shoulders with a small airy chuckle. “It seems like you’ve scared him enough because I can almost smell the fear off of him. ‘Cause I mean, you did show him a lot and he’s probably thinking about the worst thing that could happen to him.”

There’s a look of frustration that Kihyun throws at Wonho, sighing as he picks up a box that his name on it. “You make it sound like I wanted someone to see something that I’ve been hiding for years. I can’t understand how you’re so calm about this all.” He doesn’t let Wonho answer and instead walks into the house knowing they can’t move out after everything they’ve set up.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The rest of the day seemed normal, still on edge but the thought seemed to have passed them by now. Classes over and hanging out at the usual local food joint because there really wasn’t anything else that was exciting in the town. 

Changkyun takes some of Jooheon's pop rocks, the small pack he almost always had in his pocket, pouring the small hard candy into the palm of his hand. He puts it into his mouth, waiting for Minhyuk to come with their food as Jooheon rants about one of the kids that pissed him off. Changkyun feels the candy crackle, the popping and fizzing noise in his ear.

"Gosh this kid was so annoying. They're lucky I didn't punch them in the mouth for what they said."

"If you did then you wouldn't be sitting right here." Changkyun comments and Jooheon shrugs his shoulders. 

"Yeah, but he would have deserved it, that's for sure. If Dan and Cathe hadn’t held me back, I would have gotten in trouble by the teacher."

“Dan and Cathe?”

Jooheon pops some more Pop Rocks into his mouth, talking through the sizzles and pops. “The ones who were helping me with my work before dickhead showed up; they’re pretty rad. They were pretty pissed too, but they told me not to waste my time on people who’ll never listen to the truth. I don’t know what his deal is, but he needs to chill out.”

"Is Jooheon talking about the kid that upset him?" Minhyuk sets the tray on the table and sits down. Changkyun nods, already grabbing his burger and the pop rocks have pretty much dissolved. He frowns wishing he had ordered some water to clean his palette. "Oh man, he saw the dude after school, and I almost had to pull him back before anything else happened."

Jooheon stuffs his face, taking a big bite with the same scowl on his face. He wanted to talk about it, but he also wanted to forget before it angered him more. Changkyun laughs, pinching his cheek.

"Oh, cheer up Joo. It's over now and if he makes fun of you again, just throw an insult back and call his dick small; that'll get him."

Minhyuk chokes, pulling away from his drink and hits his chest, coughing. He composes himself quickly, eyes brimming with tears that are soon wiped away. "Thanks, Changkyun, great advice to give to Jooheon." 

"What? It's a great insult to get back with." He jokes, eating his burger as Jooheon shakes his head with a smile breaking out. 

"But, what if someone in the class likes small dicks, or that for one and some rare reason he’s proud of it?" Minhyuk questions.

"Or how about we stop talking about this as we eat." Jooheon holds his hands up as if to stop the conversation topic. "The only thing right now that I want in my mouth is this hamburger."

Minhyuk hits the table with his free hand, using the one that's holding his burger to cover his mouth and laughs. Changkyun's smile now gaped, eyes wide as he himself begins to lose it. His sides begin to hurt from all the laughing as Jooheon just nonchalantly eats his hamburger, like what he said was part of their normal conversation; only sometimes. Changkyun hides his mouth with a hand, emitting a burst of high-pitched laughter, blissful and uncontrollable. Before he chokes on the air around him, he takes a swig of his soda to try and calm himself down, letting an audible breath, but still, the chuckles don’t seem to die down. 

Some patrons turn at the commotion they're making, even though the whole place was loud, and filled with chatter. 

Across from him is Minhyuk who is still dying, head against the table as he wheezes out choked laughs with cheeks hurting. They’ve practically laughed till their ribs started to hurt, lungs out of air and eyes wet with cheeks stained of wiped away tears. Jooheon just keeps munching down on his food and chin up, proud. 

“Jeez Joo, how the hell did we get there? I thought we were talking about insults.” A pleased sigh leaves Changkyun’s lips, eyes looking around the room to calm down his racing heart. 

The air is filled with a pleasant lack of sound between them with conversations still carrying on around them. He rubs his sides to ease away the pain and Changkyun’s gaze shifts past something behind Minhyuk’s head who has now somewhat calmed down. 

“It has been a miserable two days, as another body has been found near the location of the previous one this week.” 

The box television hanging from one corner of the fast-food joint projects the local news, announcing another story. Changkyun stands when a woman's face pops up, and his breathing stops. Squinting, he slowly gets up from his spot to walk closer and get a better look, moving through the chatting crowd. 

The photo shown had been the lady he had seen in the window. 

Her short brown hair and pretty emerald green eyes; her appearance was something unforgettable. Minhyuk and Jooheon call out to him, but he ignores. 

“The second victim, whose body has been found early this morning, had also been a prostitute. Her head found a few feet away from the body. As of lately, there have been no leads.”

Minhyuk and Jooheon stand up with him, exchanging looks of confusion. They move next to Changkyun, placing their eyes on the program. 

“Another murder happened, and it was another prostitute. They’re probably going for people that are easy prey. Hopefully, no other women get attacked or killed again.” Minhyuk remarks. 

“Yeah, it’s sad how they’re getting women who are sex workers. Like, what’s the motive?” Jooheon questions, sliding his hands in his pockets, leaning on one leg. “If this continues, I hope someone steps in to protect them so they aren’t easy victims. Everyone though is still on edge because the killer could easily change his mind and start going after some people in the town.”

“I just wanna say maybe after this, they’ll have more protection since that’s the suspects target.”

“I- I saw her last night…” Changkyun whispers, catching the attention of his friends who turn to the soft turn, but they don’t hear it clearly. 

“What?” Minhyuk blinks a couple of times.

“I saw her next door. In the place of where the new neighbors are staying, she was in there I remember seeing her!” Changkyun points to the television, soon turning around to grab his book bag and throw away his half-eaten food. The pair don’t know what has gotten into him, but they follow him anyways. Changkyun needs to call the police and at least give them a tip, or at least something to help. He pushes the door open, almost hitting those who are coming inside. 

Changkyun can’t mention about the vampire part; that’ll make him sound more like a lunatic than he probably already does. But he runs home to at least give the police a lead or something. Minhyuk and Jooheon call his name after they watch him skip the stop sign, not even bothering to look both ways when crossing. Changkyun knows what he saw in that window; he's not stupid, but he would like some clear answers and at least a little more insight to what in the hell is going on.

The yells of Minhyuk and Jooheon grow distant until he can't hear them anymore, and Changkyun just keeps on running, _ running _. And when he reaches his house, he scrambles for the keys in his pockets and slides it into the keyhole, quickly turning it with feet stumbling inside. He leaves the door open in a frantic on his way to the landline as he pulls out the yellow pages, turning and turning to the section he's looking for.

His fingers skim through the fine black text, eyes moving to each word until he finds what he's looking for, like that of a word search. Changkyun turns back to the phone, pressing down on the buttons for the local police station since this was technically a different type of emergency. His fingers twirl the phone cord as it rings for a moment, and the patience is making Changkyun shake his leg, licking and biting his bottom lip nervously. 

"Hello, this is the local police station, how may we help you?" 

"Hi," Changkyun chokes out through his dry mouth. "I would like to give a tip about the recent victim. I saw her on the news and I swore I saw her in the house of someone living near me." 

"Hey, Changkyun, what in the worl—" Minhyuk starts, words dying on his lips as a hand comes up to shush him. Jooheon stares, both perplexed at what was going on still.

"Okay. Is this the recent one of the prostitute that was found early this morning?"

"Yes yes. Last night, I remember seeing her with a man. And that was the first and last I saw her." Upon the request of the address Changkyun saw the victim, he pauses and turns to his friends. “What’s the house number of the new neighbors?”

Jooheon blinks. “What? Changkyun why—”

“Just give me the house number!”

They jump at the raise in Changkyun’s voice, wondering what had gotten into him. Minhyuk walks to the window, searching all sides of the house his eyes land on the mailbox that stands in front.

“2940.”

Changkyun gives it to the person on the line and describes the neighbors house, along with the suspect he saw. When the man on the line asks for Changkyun’s name, his fingers play with the phone cord again, voice quiet. "I would prefer to stay anonymous in case this turns into something more serious."

With a few more words exchanged, Changkyun hangs up the phone and breathes out a sigh, rubbing his temple. 

"Can you tell us what the hell is going on?" Minhyuk asks irritable, walking towards him. "You started talking nonsense and then randomly just left the food joint in a hurry. Now, we’re here standing in your living room while you call the cops on your new neighbors?”

“Yeah, yeah, I have my reasons and freaked out. But remember the woman that was on the television? I saw her inside the neighbor’s house, I swear. She had the short brown hair, and the really pretty green eyes that I couldn’t forget and she even had that mole that was under right eyes. I’m positive she was in the house next door to me last night.”

“The one with the people just moving in?” Jooheon quirks and eyebrow and wants to make sure he’s hearing this all correctly, skeptical of the whole situation. Changkyun really can’t tell everything because it’ll make him sound crazier than he already is, so he keeps it to himself. Especially if he can’t really explain everything without even being able to understand it. “So, you’re saying, the last person to see her is your neighbor and you think he killed her?”

Changkyun nods and the pair don’t look really convinced. 

“I know it sounds weird because they’re moving in, but I’m positive she was in that house. I even heard her screaming.” He brings his hand up to his head again, traveling down to rub the back of his neck. The way Jooheon and Minhyuk are looking at him, makes him feel like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and maybe he doesn't, but Changkyun just _ knows; _he can't really describe it. 

“Seems a bit stretched to me.” Minhyuk bites the inside of his mouth. 

“What else would it be? You really think my neighbor would call over a woman to watch a horror film?” 

There's the sound of a car door closing, and everyone is silent as the three of them exchange glances. It's a very tight silence as if they just went through a cemetery, moving to the nearest window. From youngest to oldest, they all tower over one another as they peek out, wanting to know what will happen. Though, it isn't a police officer, but instead, a man dressed in a suit and tie walking up to the driveway. Nobody had spoken, exchanging a few more looks to silently ask one another if they should to outside and "nonchalantly" walk by like nothing. 

The trio mentally decides to step outside the house as Changkyun grabs a box of jacks to act like they've got a good game going on. Stepping out into the sidewalk, they crouch and begin playing, stealing glances at the house where the man walks up onto the front porch. 

It's quiet and nobody has breathed a single word when walking out, the air feeling cold as if to match the tension. There's a few minutes and the trio gets settled into their game, throwing the ball against the floor and trying to grab as many jacks as they can before the ball comes down. 

The door to the house opens and immediately, Changkyun peeks to see the brunette man, not quite sure on what his name might be, other than the given name: window man. Changkyun doesn't make eye contact, but from a peripheral vision, his neighbor is too busy chatting with the guy in the suit. He invites the suited man in and the door closes behind him. Still, not a single word had left anyone's lips in the small tight circle, afraid that even a whisper could be heard. 

"What do you think will happen? I wonder if one of them will come out in handcuffs if that's true." Jooheon murmurs, bouncing the ball on the ground and quickly capturing two jacks. 

"I doubt it. I also doubt that nothing happened. I think Changkyun is just watching too many late-night horror shows on the TV." Minhyuk shakes his head, earning a push.

"I know what I saw, okay. I'm aware it may sound far fetched, but I'm positive." 

Minhyuk scoffs a little. “They why did they seem so friendly when we walked by earlier?”

“People can hide it. Just because they act friendly doesn’t mean anything. Geez, gag me with a spoon.” 

It’s Changkyun’s turn, and throws the ball to the ground as he picks up three jacks, throwing a small smug smile to Jooheon. For a few small minutes, the tension breaks and they’re all smiling and laughing. The man that had stepped into the house had been forgotten, now focused on the game in front of them. All the worries and fears that Changkyun had about the incident flies away, and he’s left with just having fun. It’s a precious moment he thinks, and it feels like a long time had passed with how slow time feels, and finds himself laughing at the expression Minhyuk makes to Jooheon. 

Changkyun isn’t too sure how much time has passed, but the door to the neighbors house then opens, and Jooheon stops his, letting the ball against the concrete a few times. Minhyuk grabs the ball before it has the chance to roll away and go into the street, and Changkyun's body just stills. They exchange glances, continuing to play with this time only nervous smiles, an uneasy feeling coming over them all. Both of Changkyun's friends still don't believe him, and he doesn't really care, but they're all on edge. 

What appears out the door is both men smiling, and laughing like nothing was wrong, and Changkyun mentally curses right off the bat. From what he can tell, his neighbor isn't seen as a suspect, which also means that the tip he gave to the police really didn't do anything. They're literally in the house where the victim was last, and Changkyun just wants to stand up and yell. The man in the suit fixes his tie and shakes the other hand, possibly bidding him to have a good day. He leaves the neighbors doorstep and Changkyun takes a small glance, and stays like that.

His neighbor is staring at him with that same look from the window, and Changkyun feels cold. The other fixes his posture and leans against the front porch pillar with his hands in his pocket, and he just continues to stare. _ He knows; he totally knows. _ Changkyun is the only one who saw what happened in his neighbors house, and the police wouldn't have come because there wasn't any evidence to go to the house. And it's almost like they can read one another, the energy between them is strong as if they're communicating. 

"Kyun!" 

Jooheon's voice makes Changkyun turn his head eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. He didn't realize he was holding his breath, and he lets it go. 

"It's your turn now." 

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, I just-" Changkyun looks back to the door and it's closed as Jooheon hands him the ball. His neighbor is gone and most likely bad inside. “I just got a bit lost at the moment, I don't really know."

A sigh comes from the lips of Minhyuk, who stands up and runs his fingers through his hair. "What a waste of time this was. Nothing came of this situation. Are you sure you didn't imagine it?"

"No! I couldn't have. I was so sure she was in that house." Changkyun stands to face the other. 

"Well, nothing happened here. Maybe you're stressed from all the studying, or maybe there's something else that's on your mind." Jooheon starts. _ Yeah, it's that girl who was in the neighbors house, that's what's been on my mind._

Picking up the jacks, Jooheon stands up and Minhyuk speaks up. "Lately I've seen bags under eyes and I hope you're getting enough sleep. Maybe it was just an imagination that you created or a dream that felt too real."

Changkyun doesn't feel like continuing the conversation as it has gotten him nowhere, so he drops it. The topic was not brought up again when they enter his house, but Changkyun is still visibly pissed. It does hurt him, feeling like his words just go through one ear and out the other. But there really was no evidence other than his eyes, and that wouldn't do anything. There was nothing physical that he knows of, and the man in the suit most likely didn't see anything that would have caused a concern. 

But, deep down, maybe the others were right. Changkyun doesn't really know, and it's now draining his energy. The more he thinks about the incident is the more his head hurts. Although in the back of his mind Changkyun is still wary of the situation, and maybe his neighbor being the vampire had to be something his brain created. Not only that, but he was even outside in the sun, and from what Changkyun's heard and watched, vampires can't be in the sun. It's whatever now, and he just wants the thought to be gone and maybe, _ just maybe _, it was all in his head.   
  
  
  
  
  


With two days passing since then, and the town was back to normal with its peaceful nature and the liveliness coming in as if nothing happened. It sucks how people's minds just look over everything after a certain time, and although short, moving on was the best thing even if it hurts. Changkyun sits in one of the classrooms as he packs his bag while everyone gets ready for lunch. He takes it slow as his classmates bump into one another to hurry on out, and in the midst of all the chaos, Jooheon manages to squeeze his way through those going opposite of him. 

Changkyun looks up at the person standing in front of his desk. Jooheon pulls out a chair and turns it around, resting his arms on the back of it. 

"Hey, ma man." The tone is softer and not loud like they always are. He knows that Jooheon could tell what could be going through his mind. There's a pat on his shoulder and Changkyun looks away, exhaling through his nose. "I know this thing is bugging you, but maybe there's a way to ease your mind off it."

"You think?"

"Yeah. They’re your neighbors an Minhyuk suggested to invite them over for a neighborhood welcome. It’s completely a shot in the dark, I'm pretty sure they need someone who has lived here for a while to welcome them to the town."

Changkyun's lips turn into a line before he bites the bottom one. There's a hesitation, one that makes him want to agree and disagree. He can't fully process it. 

Looking at Jooheon's waiting and expecting eyes, Changkyun feels himself sighing and gives in; maybe it's for the better.

"Alright, we can invite them, but I want you guys to be present."

"Of course, ma man! The one with the black hair seemed really friendly anyways. Not too sure about the other since he didn't talk, but he's probably shy or something. Hell, it may even get you to change your view on them."

"I really do hope that's the case. Anything to put my mind at ease because these past few days had me so paranoid. Not only that, but me being torn between what I saw and what I possibly might have made up. This whole thing has me fucked up."

There's a quick silence before Changkyun smiles, his dimples showing after a long time they've been hiding the past two days. He has smiled of course within that time, but nothing as wide as what he was grinning like now. Jooheon hits the table lightly with his palms, getting up from his chair and stretches. 

"Now come on and let's hurry to lunch. We're practically the last people here, so let's head to the cafeteria."

"Yeah, we've probably been keeping Minhyuk waiting." Changkyun follows suit and zips up his bag, swinging it over his shoulder. There’s a faint smile, but it’s there. Deep down, Changkyun knows something isn’t right. That gut feeling still eats him, and he wants to follow it. 

With it being October in a few days, clearly, any monster or any supernatural being is fake, _ right? _


	2. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't fret, we're not quick to judge." Kihyun smiles. 
> 
> There's a brief period of eye contact between him and Changkyun, something that catches Changkyun off guard. It's quick, but it was there. 
> 
> What was that supposed to mean exactly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!!!!! It's been a stressful few weeks and I lost the half end of this chapter and had to rewrite it all. But I'll try to get in the habit of posting on Saturdays consistently!!
> 
> I added my friend Nami in this one and her make up is so so beautiful!! Goals!!
> 
> If you read and would like to share your favorite part on Twitter, use hashtag #AfterDarkAO3  
I'll be sure to read it and thank you!!!!!!

To say Changkyun was nervous would be an understatement. He tries his best to play it cool as much as he can even despite his leg constantly shaking. He, along with Minhyuk and Jooheon had recently left the neighbors house, learning the name Wonho aka the friendly smiling (muscle) man. The trio was greeted with the bright personality that appeared when the door opened, and Changkyun had mentally exhaled in relief. 

A simple and quick invitation for the two new occupants for coffee along with some snacks, and a chat over a game or an activity of sorts to keep engagement. Wonho agreed with a smile, mentioning he’ll go and tell his friend (never mentioning his name to possibly have the other introduce himself). 

With an established set time to meet in an hour, everyone parts their ways and Changkyun goes back home with his friends doing the same. 

Shedding his school clothes, Changkyun is in the position he is in now sitting on the couch as he waits for Jooheon and Minhyuk to knock on the front door. They wanted to change themselves to get rid of the school stench if there had been any. He knew they wouldn't be at the house long enough for him to dial the house phone; that would waste too much time to call them. And Changkyun is left in the empty house with his thoughts. 

He grabs a board game from underneath the living room table, opening it up and deciding whether or not to even play it. The idea makes Changkyun think that if everyone joins in, conversations can start and if he's lucky, feel more relaxed about the presence of the window man. It doesn’t hurt to take a shot. 

Changkyun breathes  _ in _ , then  _ out _ .

He unfolds the game of Monopoly, a "leisure" activity that he plays with Minhyuk and Jooheon, though it can lead to some playful fighting and temporary hate; in the end, they were practically joined to the hip. 

The game in a way told you who your friends and enemies were from a mere piece of cardboard and paper. Who would have thought a simple game could create such vast emotions; it was like a war.

Changkyun organizes the crisp paper money and the interactive cards into their designated places. It's only a few more minutes until Jooheon and Minhyuk come over, knowing that they've walked together to save more time. 

As each minute passes, Changkyun sets things up in the meantime to keep himself busy by placing some empty coffee cups and snacks onto the living room table. The aroma of the rich freshly made coffee fills the air; a fragrance of that in which he could taste it; bitter, but fulfilling. Its strong scent intoxicating, and the more Changkyun inhales the aroma, is the more that he begins to crave for the beverage, but he'll wait. 

There’s a knock on the door that brings his attention to the front, his body motionless as he halts his actions of preparing. Changkyun makes his way to the front and peeks through the peephole, a view of Jooheon's enlarged head comes into view. Changkyun reaches for the knob, turning it open for his friends to step inside, both taking a big inhale of the aroma that's floating within the air. 

"It smells great in here!" Jooheon exclaims as he plops himself on the pale green couch, legs up and against the armrest, kicking off his shoes and showing off his purposely mismatched zigzag socks. Minhyuk sits down by the setup board game, taking a handful of cheese balls and stuffing them into his mouth, followed by Jooheon. They've made themselves at home  _ very quickly; a little too quickly.  _

“You animals, I hope you don’t eat all the snacks by the time they get here. We need to save some at least.” Changkyun peeks out the window, watching to see if Wonho and the window man were coming. “And Jooheon,” Changkyun shakes his head. “Act decent, please. At least put your shoes near the door.”

“Okay, mom.” Jooheon sticks out his tongue and receives the same gesture back. 

Changkyun is nervous, anxious, every synonym in the book, but he feels a lot better with his friends around. The meeting would be a lot better to handle if Changkyun never saw what he did through the window;  _ if that actually happened.  _

He moves away from the entrance and sits down next to Minhyuk who messed around with the play money. 

“Seems like you’ve prepared though,” Minhyuk speaks up, and Changkyun turns to him. “You brewed coffee and bought donuts, cheese balls, water, and even some Giggles cookies. Do you think they even like those kinds?”

“I don’t know, but if they don’t like it then I guess they can have a drink of coffee or whatever they like.” He shrugs his shoulders. The invitation was very abrupt and random, but it didn’t faze Wonho. He accepted the short notice with a smile and was pretty eager to mingle with Changkyun and his friends. “If not, at least in the end I was being thoughtful and wanted to be a good neighbor.” He smiles brightly, turning his head away from his friends and whispers. “Hoping I live by tonight.”

His whisper isn’t low enough to be unheard and Jooheon snorts. The attention is turned to him, knowing he had some things to say.

“I was reminded by the call you made to the local sheriff about the neighbor being a murderer. But! Look at the changes; you talked to one of them and even set things up, that’s pretty impressive.” He fixes his posture to sit up, reaching into the bowl of cheese balls. “I’m sure after this, that all your worries would be lifted, and you will see that there is nothing to worry about.” 

And _ maybe  _ Jooheon is right _ ,  _ at least, that’s what Changkyun is starting to believe. If this meeting ends successfully, then he could move on with his life and forget anything that has happened. Move on with his life, get to college and get a job, then marriage–  _ let’s not get too far in the future now. _

Before he can open his mouth, there’s a knock on the door and Changkyun can feel his heart sprint up to his throat and pound on the walls. He doesn’t move, sitting on his carpet to continue starring as his palms began to sweat. The more he wipes them on his jeans, they continue to feel slippery.

It isn’t until there’s a second knock that he stands, looking out the peephole to see Wonho patting the window man’s back with a smile who doesn’t look too interested. Changkyun opens the door, the pair turning their attention to him and it almost feels like he can’t speak.  _ Come on. You got this.  _ His pep talk works to some extent. 

Wonho grins, dressed in a burgundy sweater with a light brown jean jacket and black jeans. He never changed, only his hair was now parted in the middle. The other was dressed in a white turtleneck with light blue pants and a dark blue zippered jacket. His expression was emotionless, waiting with his hands in his pockets as he stared at Changkyun. 

“Hey, sorry if we’re late or anything. I know you said an hour, but mister perfect here was worried about his hair.” His friend turns to him with a scowl, and Wonho continues as he ignores the look. “It’s a pleasure of you to invite us to the town. He's always getting lost and I'm trying to get familiar, so really thank you.”

Changkyun knew Wonho was nice just by the way he acted, but he didn't expect a line like this; Wonho was practically a gentleman. Changkyun blinks back into reality and smiles back. 

“O-of course. We’re always happy to welcome new neighbors. Please, come inside.” 

Wonho steps inside and immediately take off his shoes, taking the hint as they were organized near the door. The other, however, stays and Changkyun believes he’s just waiting until his friend is out of the way. 

“May I come in?” Changkyun looks to the man who still hasn’t stepped foot inside, and he finds it strange knowing he had just told them to come in. Maybe he didn’t hear it, but he was at a close enough or he could just follow after Wonho.

His voice, however, sounded captivating, his tone rich and slightly deep. It’s the first Changkyun has ever heard him speak, and also was the first that he was so close to him too, enough to smell the cologne on him. An earthy, almost sandalwood scent that made Changkyun’s head a little hazy. 

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” 

“Thank you.”

The other smiles, stepping inside to take off his shoes and Changkyun closes the door with a silent exhale. He motions the pair to sit on the floor where Minhyuk and now Jooheon is around the board game. Before things start to get awkward (as if they already weren't), Changkyun clears his throat. 

“Well, my name is Changkyun and this is Minhyuk and Jooheon. I’m glad you guys accepted my invitation to come here. We welcome you to the neighborhood, and I apologize for not having a full dish of food or anything.” Changkyun chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“No, you’re fine. We appreciate the thought. I’m Wonho, but I’m pretty sure you three already knew that from earlier.”

"I'm Kihyun. Nice to meet you all, and we thank you for the welcome." He shows a small smile and wave. Kihyun already seemed timid, speaking a few words and would only talk when he felt like he needed. But finally _ ; a name. _

There were so many things Changkyun wanted to ask, but he also didn’t want to sound too invasive on their lives. It was the first meeting, and he didn’t want to seem nosy even though that had been the first thing that happened. 

“Would you guys like some coffee or water? I have a freshly brewed batch ready if you want a cup.” 

The pair both raise their hands, and Changkyun flees to the kitchen to get a cup as Minhyuk leans over and starts a conversation with the two of them, handing them some snacks. The chatter is faint and Changkyun ponders if he should pour himself a glass of coffee to buy some time.  _ No.  _ It's not a time to stall. He invited them to his house to feel more comfortable and that won't happen unless he pushes his fears away. Changkyun wants to try. 

The warmth of the coffee eases his mind and soul, releasing the tensions within that have stayed. Changkyun needed a cup before he'll completely lose it, though. 

He pours himself a cup of Joe, adding in some milk and sugar to satisfy the craving "sweet tooth" he was having. Bringing the milk and sugar to the living room with him and juggling three cups, Changkyun hands Wonho and Kihyun their drinks. Minhyuk finishes telling the pair what to do in the game when Changkyun sits down and most likely they wouldn’t be able to finish it. A game that could go on for hours and hours, and the more people that joined, the longer it would get.

Changkyun watches as Kihyun doesn’t bother putting milk and sugar, drinking the coffee the way it is. Wonho, on the other hand, could be seen dumping a hefty amount of sugar to the point where Changkyun gets a little concerned. 

Once everyone picks their respective game pieces, Wonho ends up ging first after rolling the highest number dice. Now, hell was about to start; maybe.

Wonho finishes his turn, landing on a property that he doesn’t buy. "I've never played this game before, but the rules seem pretty easy." 

"It's about money," Kihyun speaks, moving five spaces forward. "But then again what isn't these days."

Jooheon laughs, already buying a piece of property after his first turn. Minhyuk, a banker that can’t be trusted, is handed the money and opens his mouth to question the decision.

"You're already buying property? Don't you think it's too early?"

"I need to claim it before anyone else even thinks about buying property. This brain right here," Jooheon points to his head with a smug smile. “Already has a plan on how to beat every single one of you.”

"I would say save your money. You never know what kind of chance or community chest cards people might pull." Minhyuk gives a side-eyed look to Jooheon, leaving him be as he waits to say ' _ I told you so' _ to Jooheon.

Changkyun rolls and moves his piece and almost landing himself on Jooheon's property. Talk about a close call; no wonder he bought the space so quickly. As soon as it's Minhyuk's turn, Changkyun turns to Wonho and Kihyun, breaking the ice.

"So, what brings you to move to this town?"

"If I had to be honest, this place makes me wanna barf. Just gag me with a spoon already." Jooheon side comments.

"Oh, not even."

"Even!" 

Wonho chuckles, grabbing himself a cheese puff. "We moved from the city. We had gotten tired of all the honking and yelling outside our place, so we settled for something quiet." Wonho takes a sip of his coffee and scrunched his nose from the overdose of sugar poured into his cup. "The last few nights here were our best sleep yet in fact."

"For one year we were able to put up with it all, but after a while it was draining," Kihyun adds in, deciding to buy the property he landed on. "Who's the bank, or whatever it's called?"

"Oh, that's me." Minhyuk raises his hand and wears a big smile on his face as he's proud to handle the money. 

Changkyun squints, grabbing the dice that lay on the board and hands it over to Wonho. "Pretty suspicious for you to be the bank. I'm going to keep a close eye on you."

The money is handed to Minhyuk with all eyes onto him, making sure it goes into the bank and not in his pile. All the staring seems it would almost burn a hole through the paper. 

"What? Don't start making me look bad in front of the neighbors now." 

"Don't fret, we're not quick to judge." Kihyun smiles, counting his money as if it was the real thing. There's a brief period of eye contact between him and Changkyun, something that catches Changkyun off guard. It's quick, but it was there. 

_ What was that supposed to mean exactly? _

Changkyun didn't want to travel on the trail of thinking Kihyun was a vampire or take any small gesture out of proportion. He didn't want to believe it, but there are some things in the world that continue to question him. With everyone surrounding him so calm and seeming to have a good time, Changkyun forces the thought in the back of his mind again. 

Wonho rolls and lands on a chance, picking up the orange card. “Advance to Illinois Avenue. Where is that at?”

“Me.” Jooheon raises his hand. “It’s my property so you owe me rent for it since you’ll land on it.”

“What the hell.” Reluctantly, Wonho pays Jooheon the required amount and looks at his small pile of play money. “I already hate this game now.”

The sentence brings a choke of laughter; the game is just doing its job.

“Guess you should start buying some property.” Kihyun takes a small sip, eyes trained on Wonho with a mocking glint. All he gets in response is a scrunch of the nose by Wonho. 

Once it’s Jooheon’s turn, he rubs his hands together like he’s got something really big planned in his head, but after the roll of the dice, it only comes out to one space.  _ How sad.  _ Maybe it’s for the best.

“Is it too much to ask about how you two met? You look almost like,” Minhyuk pauses as he rolls his dice. “I wanna say college students maybe? But you look too pretty to play a sport though.”

“Flattered.” Wonho smiles, taking a cheese ball and popping one into his mouth. “I met Kihyun on the street playing at a playground. He was alone so I decided to play with him and we started to like each other’s company.” He turns to Kihyun, patting his back and sending him a smile. “I guess you could say we’re still studying, but we’re pretty knowledgeable and are working now to mostly pay for the house payments and repairs. All that good jazz.”

“Wow, you two sound like prodigies.” Minhyuk buys New York Avenue and smiles only needing one more property to complete his set. 

“No, no, nothing of the sorts.” There’s a shy smile that Wonho radiates. “What do you guys plan to study? You guys might be the prodigies” 

Changkyun rolls his part, letting Jooheon and Minhyuk answer first. 

“That’d be great. I would possibly graduate at an earlier age and not be held captive by the devils that walk the halls.” Jooheon clutches dramatically. Changkyun glances and sends a confused look, but he’s amused. “But, I probably might be a chef. Not too sure if I wanna go study food or pastries, somewhere around there.”

“I think for me it would be a school teacher for kids. Like basic learning.” Minhyuk smiles, making sure Changkyun doesn’t land on his last needed property. “I enjoy playing games with them and watching all the kids create cute little projects.”

“Oh, so like little kids. That’s pretty cute.” Kihyun adds. “I love kids too, they’re so cute and funny like kittens and puppies. How about you, Changkyun?”

“Me?” 

A small chuckle emits. “I don’t think anyone else is named Changkyun here other than you.” 

Kihyun sips his coffee and remains eye contact, slow, but nobody else takes notice of the small gesture. Changkyun feels as if he isn’t being a very good host for keeping quiet. Yes, his nerves and thoughts are marinating his brain, but the shell that keeps him from saying anything still remains. He needs to fix that, and fast.

“Probably something in science or math. I like to be different so I’m one of those types of people who actually enjoy math.”

“Math should be appreciated more, to be honest. It is what also builds this world, so there’s an importance to it. People usually hate it because they can’t understand it very well. What’s your favorite type of math and science?” Kihyun lands on an unbought property, deciding to pay.

“I like geometry and biology. I can’t announce my knowledge to the class because everyone would then ask me for help and it gets annoying.” 

Kihyun lets out an airy laugh. “Sounds like you’re pretty good.”

“Well,” Changkyun smacks his lips. “Not to brag or anything–”

“Oh boy, here we go,” Minhyuk brings his head back, groaning. “Take a chill pill there, Changkyun.”

Jooheon slides into the conversion, sipping his carton of juice.  _ When did he have that?  _ “Ugh, the kids these days I swear. They’re such airheads I kid you not.” He watches Wonho begin his turn. “The valley girls annoy me to the point where I would drop out just to get away from them.”

“Like oh my god, can you believe  _ he did that,  _ like,  _ did that _ ?! Oh my god its like, so like stupid, like really stupid, I can’t believe him like, yeah, what a loser.” Minhyuk parodies and with his gaze up to the ceiling and tone in a higher pitch. 

It amuses everyone, bursting out in laughter as Minhyuk himself isn’t able to keep it up for any longer. Wonho is the first one to break as he covers his face with both hands, trying to stifle his snickering. There are eye dimples that appear on Kihyun’s cheeks as he picks up a donut, having a hard time taking a bite. 

“Valley girls? Never heard of that before. Do they really sound like that?” Kihyun turns his attention to Minhyuk.

“They’re the stereotypical ditzy, young, and well-to-do white girl. Not saying all of them are like that but…” Minhyuk freaks out when Wonho decides to purchase his last needed property for his set. “No! My set!” It was so important that he begins to stand up and point at the board. “He took my set.”

“Looks like you’re the one who needs the chill pill.” Changkyun snorts.

Kihyun crosses his arms with an amusing smile and leans back, only to fall back slightly. It’s a slightly hard thud and it’s pretty funny to witness when his donut was close to flying out of his hands trying to save himself. 

“I forgot for a second that I’m on the floor.”

“Did you think you were in your  _ favorite _ chair.” Wonho remarks. 

“You make it sound like I’m a grandpa who only sits in one chair in the house.” 

The next few turns aren’t much eventful besides just earning a few more bucks and buying some property. Changkyun isn't appreciating the smirk that Jooheon has on his face from time to time, and Wonho himself looks smug. It's best to stay away from the two and whatever they have planned in their heads. 

Changkyun gets up to refill the coffee cups, giving Kihyun (surprisingly) permission to watch over his fake money. Though, on second thought, it would have been wise to take it with him just to be extra safe. The coffee is still warm enough for the last two batches. He returns back to watch Minhyuk landing in 'Go To Jail', which he reluctantly puts his piece in. 

With the pout on his face, Minhyuk scowls. “Salt in the freaking wounds.”

Changkyun hands the guests their coffee with Kihyun wrapping his hands around the cup and already taking a sip.  _ Someone really likes coffee. _ "Did you guys also come for work? What do you guys do for a living?" 

"Sort of. Our other jobs did pay good, but we mostly moved to have different living conditions. I do carpentry work and Kihyun gave his resume to the school down the street about a few days ago to be a history tutor.” 

Everyone’s ears perk up upon hearing about their school. 

“What kind of history is it?”

“American.” Kihyun replies and reaches for a donut. “I’m not going to be a teacher but I figured might as put my knowledge to use. If that doesn’t go through then I’ll work somewhere else nearby.”

Changkyun was intrigued. “What were you before coming here?”

“Worked at a flower shop. Nothing too special, but Wonho didn’t like me working there since we didn’t get too many customers. I’m not too good with socializing is what he says.”

As Wonho takes a sip from his sugar-filled coffee he nods with a roll of the eyes. “He puts on a tough exterior, but he’s a soft guy. He loves feeding stray cats and tries to help them the best he can. A little secret, he saved a rabbit and we had it as a pet for a while before we moved.” 

Kihyun gets visibly abashed, giving Wonho a light shove that almost makes the coffee spill onto the carpet.  _ Thank god it didn't.  _

“There you go spewing out things that should be a secret.” 

“Please, if I wanted to tell them something really secretive, I would have done so and your ears would be a darker shade of red than they already are. I got many stories of this guy, I’m telling you.”

“You better not say anything weird.” Kihyun, surprisingly to Changkyun’s eyes, stuff half of a donut into his mouth. He knew Krispy Kreme’s were good but holy shit, Kihyun devoured it almost entirely. 

Changkyun finds himself laughing at the interaction between Wonho and Kihyun, seeing a similarity between his own friendship with Jooheon and Minhyuk. The small back and forth puts Changkyun in a state of ease, knowing that maybe this sort of meeting was something he needed.

“Funny story secret, but the three of us snuck into someone’s jacuzzi and Jooheon had on some red boxers.” Changkyun snorts in the middle of the sentence, earning a grumble from Jooheon. “And when we were relaxing in the hot water, the color started to fade and he dyed the water red. After that we booked it.”

Jooheon hides his face in his hands from embarrassment and earns himself a pat on the back from Changkyun. 

“Oh my god…” Kihyun utters, wide-eyed as Wonho breaks in a fit of laughter.

Minhyuk nods his head, grinning at the memory. “Ah yes, memories.”

Changkyun smiles, watching as everyone seemed to have a good time. The air wasn’t as awkward as it was before, and there's the occasional bickering amongst everyone despite it only being the first meeting. It feels nice, calming _ .  _ Something that needed to happen. 

There's a barrier that breaks, a wall that was built before and now Changkyun feels himself loosening each brick as the minutes pass. He was nervous before, skeptical and feels a huge weight off his shoulders. 

For a quick minute, a small disagreement on what the free parking space means after Minhyuk is the first one to land on it. There are no set rules on what happens when you land on it, and Changkyun just thinks it’s sort of just there. The only one who really doesn't care what the space does is Kihyun, just wanting to win since he seemed like the richest one in the game so far. 

Nobody became bankrupt and there were a number of properties that remained. The game wasn’t even close to being over yet, especially when there was an amount of five players. It’s agreed that nothing will happen when landing on free parking, knowing adding more rules could make everyone confused; the property auction process was already a disaster. 

Just when things couldn't get any worse, Wonho picks up a chance card to only let out a choked out jumble of words. It’s funny, but also a sad sight knowing that whatever the card said wasn’t anything good. 

“Geez, what’s going on with you?” Kihyun quirks an eyebrow and reaches for a donut;  _ another donut _ . 

“I have to go to jail. Someone, please bail me out.”

“Maybe you belong there.” Minhyuk slips out and Kihyun physically starts choking on his coffee.  _ Minhyuk, this is the first meeting!  _ “Not my fault he stole the last property to have a whole set.”

Wonho playfully gives Minhyuk a stink eye, and Kihyun is seen stuffing his face with more donuts, and Changkyun isn’t able to hold back his tongue. They just moved the town and Kihyun already wanted to take a trip to the hospital.

"Woah, how many donuts have you eaten Kihyun? You’ve been scarfing them down a lot." 

"Hm, let's see. I've had two glazed, a chocolate one with sprinkles, and then two strawberries. Oh, and this crumbly looking one as well. Not sure what it really is but it's delectable."

“Don’t mind him.” Wonho waves off. “He has a major sweet tooth and is always eating a bunch of crap.”

“It’s not crap.” 

Kihyun whips his head to frown at Wonho, looking up at the wall clock that’s in the same direction and his eyes grow big, stuffing the rest of the donut into his mouth. The sight is…  _ interesting.  _ Changkyun has never seen Kihyun so active since the time they've "interacted".

Kihyun turns his attention to Changkyun. "It's been two hours since our arrival. I think we need to head back since we have to work on some things." 

"Oh, that's alright,”  _ Had it already been that long?  _ How time flies when you’re occupied with an activity. “We very much enjoyed your company and thank you for your time." 

Everyone stands, stretching their sore muscles and Minhyuk moves to clean up the board game, knowing it wouldn’t be played again for a while. The neighbors would have to stay the night in order to finish the game, but each moment so far had been enjoyable. Jooheon quickly picks up the bowls of cheese balls and other snacks to place on the coffee table. 

Changkyun decides to give the last of the donuts to Kihyun seeing only six left, earning the biggest grin that had been seen that entire today. It was like he witnessed a child open presents on Christmas days. 

They head towards the door, stepping outside and turning back around to face Changkyun and his friends. 

"It was fun, thank you for the invite to the neighborhood. We never really got to do these things so we very much appreciate it." Wonho smiles, stretching out his hand for another handshake, and Changkyun happily takes it; Minhyuk and Jooheon doing the same. 

Kihyun smiles, reaching his hand out and Changkyun takes it. He's easier going with the other now, a big concern was now gone and forgotten. It feels  _ good.  _

"Thank you for welcoming us. Hope we can do this again." 

"For sure." Changkyun smiles back.

Wonho takes a glance at Kihyun, eyeing the box of donuts as if he met the love of his life. “You’ve made him really happy by giving him that. Watch me come back and ask for help on how to take care of this baby getting sick.”

Changkyun laughs. “That could happen considering he ate the other six.”

Bidding farewell for one last time, he watches the pair converse when they leave his property. Out of sight, Changkyun closes the door, everyone breathes a sigh of relief. They collapse on the sofa and lean against one another. 

It's finally done and over with, but Changkyun feels better than ever as if he had discovered a cure, or even saved an animal from becoming extinct. 

_ Maybe he's exaggerating a little. _

The feeling was more like acing a test he'd been studying really hard for. 

There was the thought that Kihyun wouldn't even say a word, but both he and Wonho were open about information and their lives. They were comfortable and laughed along with them and showed some signs of vulnerability. 

"Well, that wasn't so bad.” Jooheon pipes up, throwing his legs on both Minhyuk and Changkyun, stretching his body out over them. “I actually like those two, I wouldn't mind hanging out with them again." Another thought comes to his head. "They're around the same age as us, right? I think I forgot to ask how old they are." 

"I think so. Today went well, I knew there was nothing to worry about.” Minhyuk crosses his arms at shoots a look at Changkyun who scrunches his nose in response. 

"Okay, so I may have been a little paranoid–”

“A little?” Jooheon snorts. 

Changkyun raises his hand to pretend to hit Jooheon. The boy is about to be dealt with is he doesn’t quit it. “As I was saying, I guess I was just maybe watching too much Elvira or Tales of the Crypt. It was just so vivid that it couldn't have been fake."

"Didn't you say it was late at night and you had been studying?” Minhyuk pressed his lips. “I would just say the fatigue hit ya really hard."

Jooheon groans, rubbing his temple as he closes his eyes for just a few seconds. "Oh my God, let's just drop it alright. We're already on good terms with the neighbors. Can we just move on with our lives about this whole thing."

There is an established hum that is heard.

"Agreed. We already made a pretty big step today, I feel like I can move past this now." Changkyun smiles, moving his hand to tickle the bottom of Jooheon's socked foot, who squirms at the electric jolt like feeling, letting out a choked laugh. It makes his body move and off from Changkyun, who happily stands up to clean up. 

"Gosh, you're evil." 

  
  
  
  
  
  


It's late into the night when Changkyun lays on the couch and searches through the TV guide for the second time, wondering what else he could watch. Jooheon and Minhyuk had already left a few hours ago after they had conversed about any upcoming tests or homework that needed to be finished. Of course, there isn’t a conversation with the occasional talk of hot girls, not to mention Jooheon bragging about the porno magazines he has hidden;  _ yeah, too much information there Joo.  _

They were already in their last year, reached the age of adulthood and just waited for the next step in life. Only eighteen, but Changkyun felt like he was thirty. Tiring, yes, but now that he was alone, it was finally time to relax. 

He had done a good thing and he needed to reward himself. Maybe a party or something that's really self-indulgent. Changkyun decides to put more thought into it later, and in the meantime, he gives himself a pat on the back. 

Changkyun reaches the last page once more, returning back to the front just to be sure he didn’t miss anything despite it being his third look through the TV guide. The only thing on was the A-Team, The Love Boat, and infomercials that repeat after a while, the same four that keep going and going like a hamster who won’t stop running in its wheel. 

Though, he will admit that they can be amusing while they last. It’s only after watching them for an hour, it slowly starts to make him lose just every bit of his brain cells. 

There’s a sigh that leaves his lips, raising an arm to cover his eyes and he just stays still with the silence surrounding him. Changkyun throws the tv guide onto the table, hearing it slide against the wood and fall to the carpeted floor. 

It’s comfortable, the quietness of the house soothes his thoughts as if that choking sensation has been lifted. A light, warm energy that surrounds each wall and crevice has seeped within him. If he could float, that’s what he would be doing right now; that, or in the tub relaxing and giving himself a whole pizza.

If Jooheon hadn’t convinced him to meet Wonho and Kihyun, Changkyun would still be in this exact position on his couch, except to have different thoughts will fill up his head. That was something he didn’t want for himself; the feeling of insecurity and fear eating him from the inside out as the thoughts piled up like unfinished paperwork. He wouldn't need to worry any further, and he can live his life the way he did before everything had spiraled into the mess he so much believed. 

Today was a step forward, a turn of the page and onto a new chapter, or moreover a new book. It was like whatever the hell his mind created was its own book where he believed his neighbor was a vampire who was now out to get him after finding out about the secret;  _ funny _ , Changkyun can now look back with a laugh. Just what was he thinking? Bringing his friends into the crazy situation he created. 

_ Whatever, forget it; no more thinking about it now.  _

Of course, even when Changkyun tells himself to stop thinking about something, he can never _just_ _forget. _And that's with anything really. It always comes back to him like a boomerang except, every time he throws it, it takes a while for it to come back, but it eventually does. 

As each minute pass, Changkyun hasn’t done anything else that’s been “productive”, deciding that he goes to bed, but the bed is just too far,  _ too  _ far to even think about it. His neck pains grow the more that he lays on the couch, shoulders aching against the stiff cushions. 

If he stays on the brick-like sofa, the more soreness it's going to bring him and from everything that happened within today, a good night’s rest on his bed was something that he needed. It was getting later, and time wasn’t going to slow down or stop the more he decided to be a couch potato. 

Changkyun exhales deeply and pushes himself up, deciding to sleep in considering it was now Saturday. Thinking about things he needed to do for tomorrow, (well, today) he thinks about going to the arcade with Jooheon and Minhyuk. It was time to beat their asses to make up for the Monopoly. 

Picking up the TV guide that had fallen, Changkyun moves to shut off the light for the living room. As the room is engulfed in darkness, his feet lead him upstairs and towards his bedroom. Changkyun feels beat to the point that he ponders if he should even change out of his clothes, feeling the need to just throw himself on the bed and become knocked out by sleep. 

He ruffles his hair with his head hanging low, groaning as if it was too much of a chore, and when you’re tired, even just walking felt like too much work. 

With heavy feet, Changkyun sluggishly moves to his dresser and pulls out his pajamas, but he stops. Can't he just sleep in his boxers? Better yet just naked? There's no one home and it's his house, his room.  _ No pajamas in the end then _ .

Changkyun turns around with his hands on the hem of his shirt, but he stops himself. There's something on the ground that catches his eyes, and the more he looks at it in the dark by squinting at it, he realizes they're feet. 

He lifts up his head, eyes widening when he comes in contact with a figure in his room. He stops moving. 

Eyes bulged, Changkyun rubs his eyes and blinks, but the figure doesn’t move.  _ What the hell.  _ That was  _ not  _ in his room a mere seconds ago, and if it had been, he would have seen it with no problem. Changkyun doesn’t move and tries his best to slow down his breathing, gulping loudly as he stares back at it. 

In his small monologue that was going in his head about what to wear to bed, whatever this  _ thing  _ was must have appeared silently a mere seconds ago or could have been hiding in the shadows for God knows how long. 

But there's nowhere to run with the figure near the entrance of his room; the only exit being the window. He could test his luck by hopefully landing in a position where he won't break his legs, but in a panic to escape, that would be unlikely. 

_ Wait… _

Could this be the person that now decided to come back to finish the job; whatever that would be. The man who could have followed him home one night. Changkyun doesn’t want to think like that. 

It’s so immobile, no noise and face or eyes, and it makes Changkyun think that maybe it’s not human; maybe a malicious spirit. Most likely it wasn’t such a good thing to watch The Exorcist after Jooheon and Minhyuk left, but hell, when there’s nothing else interesting on the television, what other choice is there. So yes, he is guilty of that.

With nowhere to go, Changkyun decides to defend himself and fight against the humanoid figure. The only thing near him is his study desk, a messy yet organized space that has most likely a scattered amount of sharp objects like pens and pencils.

Slightly,  _ very slightly,  _ does he move his arm behind himself to where his study desk is and blindly reaches for an object, literally anything to defend himself. 

Changkyun doesn’t want to make any sudden moments, treating the figure as if it were a bear. He doesn't want whatever that is in his room to see his fear, to hear it, not even smell it. As the silence increases, it makes him anxious for whatever is to come, and he doesn’t want to find out physically if that’s the case. 

It’s only when he watches whatever the hell that thing is move and step towards him; he  _ panics.  _

In one quick motion, Changkyun grips the object, wrapping his fingers around it tightly. He doesn't hesitate, especially when it's for his life that he wants to protect against whatever is in the shadows of his room. As adrenaline flows through his veins, wherever his hand ends up landing is fine by him, even if it just stalls time so he can run and get help. The most important thing that matters to him is not to die by the hands of whatever this monster was planning to do to him. 

The figure stops and stumbles back to the only exit, clutching their injured hand as there’s a pained scream in the room; a blood curdling, throat choking cry that hurts his eardrums, ringing as he hisses from the slight pain. 

With the body hunched, Changkyun finally sees it; those glowing red eyes that cut through the darkness like a knife. He thought that those orbs would never look back at him ever again, but here he stands as a cold shiver runs down his back. 

It’s  _ those  _ eyes that had haunted him, and the fear comes back. Changkyun feels as if the big bad wolf has spotted him, and he stays frozen with his breath stilled and stuck in his throat. His chest rises at the inhale, but he doesn't let it go in fear from just that movement alone will be the end of him in a split second. 

Changkyun stares back, getting sucked into those red orbs, not blinking as they hold a pained, hard glare. They're like a pit that he falls into, and he just continues to fall as if it never ended. A blinding light engulfs the room and breaks their strong contact. His eyes were so used to the darkness it burns, stinging and he shuts his eyes. It’s intense, not adjusted to the sudden luminosity and he blinks rapidly to try and get his eyesight back. 

"Geez, what the fuck?"

The figure in the room finally decides to speak, unknown to Changkyun that it could even speak, but there’s something about it that hits him so strongly. It’s that rich and slightly deep tone, enticing when it reaches your ears. 

Looking up with blinking eyes trying to adapt to the lights in the room, and comes face to face with Kihyun. Red eyes still glowing and a frown decorated on his lips with the pencil still through his hand, blood drips from the wound as it begins to smoke just a little. His hand covered in a scarlet as the fluid flowed thickly over his fingers.  _ Yeah, for sure he’s not a human; always go for the gut feeling. _

Changkyun just stares when he watches fingers wrap around the pencil, and he slowly pulls it out, winching at each time he has to stop and continue. Kihyun throws the wooden object to the floor, and as the second’s pass, he watches as the wound closes up and begins to heal.  _ Yeah, not a human.  _

“Did you really need to stab me with a pencil? Talk about a little overkill.”

A furrow of the brow leaves Changkyun with a loss of words, then a stumble of incoherent makeshift wannabe sentences as his mind tries to find what to say. 

First, he doesn’t understand how nonchalant Kihyun is about the situation considering it isn’t his home and doesn’t really get what his motive is other than bite him. 

And second, Changkyun knew, he  _ just knew  _ Kihyun really was a vampire.

“Dude, what the fuck man." Changkyun raises his voice. "Why were you just standing in my room in complete darkness like a creepazoid and not even say anything. The fuck is wrong with you?” 

"Listen–"

"No, you're in my house and didn't even bother to use the front door. Knock if you needed something. I knew I had my suspicions about you."

“Jesus, would you just listen.” Kihyun’s voice raises up. “I'm here because there are some  _ things  _ that we need or should talk about.” He regains his posture and leans against the wall, crossing his arms as his eyes turn to their normal color of brown. 

By the looks of things, Changkyun has a strong feeling he wouldn’t like this conversation they’re about to have. 

"Are you going to try and use your vampire powers to do something I'm not aware of?"

“What? No." Kihyun makes a face. "But look whos talking. You were being the creepazoid by looking at me nude the waist up through the window during a very intimate and secretive moment.” Changkyun tries to speak and interject, only to be stopped by Kihyun. “Not! To mention calling the police on me which was obvious to tell it was you." Changkyun's caught red-handed for sure; a hand in the cookie jar. "If you hadn't seen what you saw that night, then we most likely wouldn't be here having this conversation.”

A bite of his lip makes Changkyun hold back some of the words he wants to say. He had his reasons, and it’s not because he had done it on purpose (except for calling the police), but how else are you supposed to react when your neighbor is practically a monster. He couldn’t help himself when there was that gut feeling in the pit of his stomach (when in the end he was right, take that Jooheon and Minhyuk). 

Every time Changkyun stared at Kihyun he just felt  _ something,  _ that certain tug and voice in the back of his head telling him that his gut, as crazy as it may have sounded, was right. Not just Kihyun, but just the situation itself was a magnet that brought Changkyun's attention and he couldn't stop it. But his eyes attracted to him, not because of Kihyun's looks, and he doesn’t want Kihyun thinking anything like that; though Changkyun will admit how good looking he is, however, that’s not the time for that.  _ Stop it brain.  _

The lack of speaking just leaves them once again staring at each other just like any other day, fixated and calculating. From the way Kihyun eyes him is a tad discomforting, as if he’s got some other kind of dirt on Changkyun, and looking for answers with eyes drilling into his skull. Burning, and almost able to reach the soul to look for some sort of justification; an interrogation, maybe even a challenge. 

It makes Changkyun shift a little, biting the inside of his mouth in nervousness. He’s aware of the difference between them, the vast difference, so the choice in words need to be thought carefully. One little word could get him hurt, or  _ worse _ .

However, Changkyun isn’t going to let Kihyun intimidate him; it was time to talk things out and get some answers of his own. Perhaps this one on one talk was needed, and here they were at one end of the room. Changkyun crosses his arms as he shifts his weight to one leg, tilting his head to the side in some kind of defense. He’s not going to feel afraid, no more running around and gawking. 

Seeing this, Kihyun licks the bottom of his back teeth with an eyebrow quirked, and he looks at Changkyun from the bottom up. The change of stance to partially mimic his and the attitude that’s radiating.  _ How amusing.  _ Not only that but by the tilt of the head gives a nice view of Changkyun's neck as his eyes immediately gravitate to it. How could he not when it was so elongated, delicate, and even elegant like a work of art; a sculpture. It was tempting. 

“Well, I would think that seeing a news segment of a deceased woman, and the last place she was at had been  _ your  _ house; I felt like I had every right to do so.” Changkyun in return looks Kihyun up and down. “Not to mention that what you did was disgusting and despicable to do to a human, especially since now you’re walking around free.”

“Alright, fair enough because if I was in your place I’d do the same. But we both know what I am by this point I hope; I have to keep on living and stay strong, don't I?”

“Are you trying to be smart with me? I’m pretty sure there are other options where somebody doesn’t have to die.” 

Kihyun sighs, placing his hands in his pockets. "Look, there's a lot to explain here, and it won't even be explained in one conversation. I can't speak for every single vampire on this earth, but for right now, human blood is the thing that makes us strong, and alive because without it we're weak.” He taps his foot, thinking as he begins his next sentence. “If I had to estimate, I could go with maybe a month without blood. Animal blood can’t do the trick because it makes us sick or we could die; seen it happen before, not pretty. Plus I'm an animal lover and there's no way I’m going to be killing any animals.”

“So, you’d kill people?”

“No, I’d rather not have to kill anyone, I know what I’m doing is horrible and just, it’s just bad, but this is sadly the life I live now in order to survive and protect myself. Believe me, I wish I didn't have to live like this.”  _ Now.  _ Changkyun catches that single word, and before he can question it further, Kihyun speaks up again. "If there was another option, I'd be glad to use it. But for now, that's the only way to protect my identity."

“Protect your identity?” Changkyun leans against his desk table and cocks his head. “Do you mean in the sense of someone recognizing you? And you're in my house so, figured while you’ve entered uninvited without permission, but in a way also permission; I feel like I deserve some answers.”

“Understandable and yes. I can’t just flit towards someone, bite them and then off I go. That would leave my mark on them.”

“Flit?”

“Run. It’s our high speed running.”

There’s no response and Changkyun just nods and it does make sense in a cruel way. And with a new thought in his head, he decides to ask Kihyun.

“How come you didn’t attack me on the street that one night? It was before I saw you through the window, but why?”

Kihyun’s nose wrinkled and his bottom lip juts out a little with a gaze to the floor, trying to remember what the other was talking about. After some time, he looks up and locks eyes with Changkyun, shaking his head.

“That wasn’t me. Before that day, Wonho and I were in the house all day trying to still move in. Also, I’m not familiar with this town too so I wouldn’t go outside unless I had some sort of thing I needed to do, but I don’t go out much anyway. Wonho was outside to get food, but that was in the afternoon.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am.” Kihyun crosses his legs with his back still leaning against the door frame. “Listen, if I wanted to bite you, I would bite you.” Changkyun watches as Kihyun smiles, a small and closed one with a corner up just a little. 

Changkyun gulps, choking on his spit. “You aren’t…” There’s a pause, pupils shaking. “...right?”

“I can if you want. I’d need your consent though since you already know I’m a vampire.”

“Wh– what? So, you’re not going to turn me or kill me?” Changkyun panics as he realizes what he says, almost sounding as if he was looking forward to it. “Wait, no, no, no, I didn’t mean it like that! I’m just questioning because of what you said.” It’s another wave of fluster and Kihyun’s amused. “I’m not saying to can though.”

“Relax. I’m only joking.” Kihyun laughs and Changkyun breathes a sigh of relief. “Maybe.”  _ Wha–  _ “But, the reason for your question is because you treated us like normal humans. You knew what I was and yet, you still invited us over and I just felt that it would be wrong to still hurt you. Not that anyone deserves to get hurt if they don’t deserve it.” Kihyun groans. “God, this all sounds so contradictory I hate being a bloody vampire.”  _ Bloody vampire. Good one. _

“So that means, I  _ was  _ going to die…”

Kihyun frowns. “Please don’t say that out loud. I already feel like the most horrible person on the planet, but maybe vampires need to start finding a way to evolve so we wouldn’t have to kill. Create some kind of shit so I don’t have to go through life like this.” Kihyun fixes his turtle neck. The article of clothing itching him. “You were always with your friends, and I couldn’t enter your house. I thought my identity was going to be revealed if people believed you, and then they’d try to expose me.”

“Oh.” Changkyun didn’t know what to say.

“But, really, thank you for still welcoming us to the town. It felt like the only thing that made me feel human. I forgot what that I was a vampire in those few hours, so, thank you.”

Now Changkyun really didn’t know what to say. He isn’t too sure how to feel about everything, trying to understand it. Kihyun is a vampire and just like an animal, he needs to live, but it also feels so wrong to accept. Was it because he looked so much like a human? 

Kihyun speaks up, noticing the silence that came between them. “It’s getting late though, but we’ll continue this conversation soon.”

A series of blinks come from Changkyun at the abrupt end. He watches as Kihyun stands straight and fixes his bangs. 

“Wait–” Once again, before a question can be brought into the air, it’s halted. 

“You have any more donuts? I’m having a hardcore sweet tooth moment, and the stores are closed, so you’re the only neighbor I know that I can talk to.”

Changkyun doesn’t answer Kihyun’s question, only staring back with eyes wide and mouth open.  _ What? _

Kihyun stares back, looking back to the ground and back at Changkyun’s face, unsure how to react next. There’s not a yes or no. After a few seconds pass, Kihyun nervously smiles and points behind his shoulder.

“So, that’s what I’m going downstairs for now. Don’t forget to breathe if you did.” 

Without another word, he turns and walks out of the bedroom leaving Changkyun with a lot of questions on his mind. The other reason for coming was all because of a box of donuts that he had? Did he already eat the other six? 

_ That was it?  _

He’s not sure what’s going on right now except that there’s a vampire who’s searching his cabinets for whatever junk food that’s stored away.

One question that still needs to be answered is why Kihyun is more open than before and how he doesn't seem like a threat, so far. Still, there are many things that need to be sorted out, matters that need attending to be able to understand most of the situation. Knowing the circumstances of everything, this won’t be the only time considering the minuscule amount of knowledge about vampires. Though, the television shows shouldn’t be a good place to receive certain information and to be all believed, like reality tv. 

As a mental note, Changkyun gives himself a heads up that Kihyun can now just welcome himself into the house. As long as he doesn’t get hurt and if they’re on good terms, Changkyun’s fine with it — he guesses.  The small incident from earlier makes a lot more sense now. How even though Changkyun invited them inside, Wonho happily walked through the entrance, but Kihyun still stood outside and questioned if he could come into the house. 

Which also brings yet another perplexity; was Wonho also a vampire? Changkyun allowed him inside first which could be a reason why Kihyun questioned.  _ Ugh, this hurts.  _ There are too many things to think about, but he’ll just have to ask without being too intrusive. Changkyun already watched two people through a window by complete accident, he doesn’t want to seem meddlesome or like a weirdo. 

The rustle of pots and pans could be heard from downstairs that catches Changkyun’s attention away from his thoughts, sounding like whatever is going on in his head; a jumbled mess. 

With a sharp exhale, he makes his way out of the room to soon find himself at the bottom of the stairs with the lights to the kitchen illuminating the darkness of the living room as he watches Kihyun rummage through his cabinets. It’s strange, to say the least, but as long as he’s not getting killed by the hands, or should he say  _ teeth  _ of a vampire, then all is good. Though, why now of all times? 

Kihyun turns with a glazed donut in his mouth and the box in his hands. On top are also the cheese puffs and Changkyun can’t believe his eyes again. Never, not even in his dreams would he imagine walking on such a scene unless he was high. Sensing how awkward the air is, Kihyun decides to speak up. 

“Krispy Kreme isn’t open right now, and this is the only stash closest to me.” Silence. “Stop looking at me like that. Wonho gives me the same look all the time.”

If things weren’t already weird, Changkyun watches as he moves to the couch and proceeds to turn on the television like nothing. _What happened to their talk?_ _Was that it?_

There were still many questions that needed to be confronted, and now they’re just piling up like unfinished homework. The exchange in the room was hardly a talk and only of what was pretty much already known. 

Maybe it will take some time to get used to all of  _ this.  _ For now, Changkyun is alright with Kihyun sitting on his couch to watch obnoxious infomercials as he stuffs his face with donuts, oddly enough. It’s better than what could have happened, Changkyun is in one piece and not a scratch on him, so he considers himself lucky. 

Following behind, Changkyun plops himself next to Kihyun who is indulged with watching people work out on a machine. It still boggles his mind, unable to fully wrap his head around the whole thing: sitting with a vampire that is stuffing his face with donuts on the couch; Changkyun didn't think this was how his night was going to go.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The night is cold; a full moon to be exact. Dark and not a single soul out on the sidewalk. It’s hushed except for the music roaring within the school gymnasium, doors closed to not let all the sound out. Lights of purples and greens flash and illuminate the window; vibrant and giving color to the darkened canvas sky. Everything around the moving building felt as if it has stopped like time was only relevant within the party.

It's only silent for a second more before the doors to the gymnasium open, emitting Give It Up by Evelyn "Champagne" King that still continues to play. Jooheon, followed by Changkyun and a messy Minhyuk jog out onto the side of the school. The cold breeze feels like a slap, stinging against their hot faces dripped in sweat. Their bodies were hot and filled with adrenaline and high off the excitement of the dance. Minhyuk decides to fix his sunglasses straight despite there being no sun, running a hand through his damp hair. 

A school dance was hosted in a bigger gymnasium, not to mention, one that was nicer than theirs. Not that Changkyun was trash-talking about the school he attended, but he was talking trash about the school. 

Changkyun takes off his blazer that is drenched in sweat, mostly caused by the constant movement from the inside being silk. He rolls up his sleeves and opens the first two buttons of his chalk-white collared shirt to try and cool himself off faster. 

It's been about three days since Changkyun's (questioning) last encounter with Kihyun, and thankfully he's still alive. However, the stash of donuts keep running low and there's only one culprit behind it all, but he could also careless. Changkyun's life was more important than donuts; there’s only one of him after all, not dozens. 

The downside of tonight was that Changkyun and his friends needed to catch the last bus of the night, and if not, well, they would have a two-hour walk ahead of them. Knowing that the dance has ended, they needed to get to the stop before anyone else could. Though, some could already be waiting there.

As the chatter behind them increased, so did the number of students coming through the doors and out onto the front of the school. Changkyun takes a look behind, watching the pile of people spill on the grass all dressed in tuxedos and the kaleidoscopic of dresses. _Great. _It would be a race to the bus stop. Some stayed inside to use the phone to let their parents know to pick them up or to let them know they were on the way. 

Changkyun’s date left early because of a curfew. They had waited and chatted outside, offering her his jacket for warmth until her father came. It was a nice break from all the chaos in the dance room. Once the father came, Changkyun received a small kiss on his cheek, as well as a dirty look from the old man. It was awkward especially to watch the father yell at her when driving off. 

The commotion grew louder, the sound of small heels running around and chatter that never seemed to die down. Changkyun by now just wanted to go home and rest his aching feet that were about to pop out of his dress shoes. If it comes to it, he might just walk the streets in his socks. 

“Hey, do you ladies want a ride home? I have a phone car if you want to use it.”

Girls practically leave their dates side to check out the dude's “sweet” car, knowing he was just boasting about how much money he had; most likely was his dad’s car.  _ Total showoff.  _ Nobody had handheld phones as there were too expensive, large and most businessmen had them. Besides, Changkyun had nobody to call anyways as his parents were out of town for a business trip and he wasn’t about to ring up the neighbors home phone; not that he knew their number anyways. 

“Fucking showoff,” Minhyuk speaks up as if slightly reading Changyun’s mind. “Watch him get laid tonight by one of them.”

Changkyun barks a laugh. “Honestly, I wouldn’t doubt it.” 

“I would just wait in line inside the building to call my parents. Was that Joshua by the way? He’s a real dickweed.” Jooheon looks back, but by then they were a pretty good distance away. “Hm, looks like him. I can’t tell anymore.”

“Hey Jooheon!” A girl with curly auburn hair runs to his side, her dress a pale purple satin lace that reached her feet and huge ruffles at her shoulders. She brushes a small strand of her hair behind her ear, a small smile tugging her lips. “You were really cool back there on the dance floor. And your makeup looks really nice tonight; it looks so rad."

"Thank you, Lauren. You're looking very nice yourself."

Lauren visibly gets red, muttering a small thank you before her name gets called by most likely her friend. 

"I have to go now. See you in science class."

She runs off with heels hitting the pavement, and Changkyun nudges Jooheon. 

"Well, well, it looks like  _ somebody  _ has a crush on you Mr. Superstar. Screw that Joshua dude, the rising star tonight is Lee Jooheon." 

"I've never heard screams so loud before." Minhyuk mentions. "They were louder than in school gatherings. Who did your make up anyways?" 

"Nami. She's in my Driver's Ed class. We always partner up to cruise the streets and told me I had really pretty eyes so she wanted to do my makeup for the dance. Her work is really,  _ really _ good too." 

And Jooheon wasn't wrong. It was a copper color mixed with a slight smokey touch on the edges. More towards the inner parts of his eyes had a slight amount of silver glitter, not a lot, but enough to attract attention and to match with the earthy tones. 

"Oh her!! She's the one who had the blue and purple eyeshadow and she was really tall right?" Changkyun finds it clicking, meeting her briefly sometime during the dance. A tall girl with a fire orange bob and a beautiful smile, brightening further after seeing Jooheon at the dance. 

Changkyun remembers how everything about her really stood out from her amazing height that he was even jealous of, her totally boss makeup and a lilac-blue dress. 

"Ooooh, I remember now," Minhyuk exclaimed, eyes growing wide behind his sunglasses. "The whole party felt like a blur because everything was moving so fast. I feel almost transparent right now; I might be turning into a ghost." 

"Knowing you, those sunglasses would still be glued to your face if you were a ghost."

Minhyuk looks back with a smug smile. "Of course, it's my trademark."

The more they move down the street, the more that the chatter and commotion died down along with the number of people. Not many had been walking due to the chilly air, cutting any exposed skin. It was as if the universe knew there would be a school event and decided to just try and mimic the arctic oceans.

A few people were heading the same direction as them, most likely either going to their house or also catching the last bus stop closest to the school. If Changkyun was being honest, he would have rather stayed at the gymnasium in their own school, seeing how this bigger one was used mostly to put up more decorations. So much so, that the color of the walls couldn't be remembered from how much crap littered the walls. It wasn't like anyone really paid much attention either, why have it all up. 

Jooheon whistles a beat, snapping his fingers occasionally. It puts more ease into the air as the silence was killing everybody, and it's calming. Not that Changkyun and his friends didn't want to talk to each other, it was just all they did at the dance was converse their lips as fast as they moved their feet. 

In the heat of the moment, Jooheon slides his way in front of Minhyuk and Changkyun, feeling himself to his own created beat. He twirls, moonwalking down the sidewalk and slicking his hair back like he was the coolest shit. He stops to do The Prep, getting high off the cheers and hollering from Minhyuk and Changkyun. Everyone around them is tired; everyone left that is, but still turn to shout some sort of encouragement or to just laugh at the scene. 

Just like at the dance, Jooheon reaches into his pocket to pull a ton more of glitter to  blow into the night. It glistens against the canvas sky, joining the stars as all the particles scatter and eventually fall onto Minhyuk's tuxedo. Thank god Changkyun took his off because it was a rental.

"Yah! Jooheon!" The screams of Minhyuk also brings more attention to them. "Do you know how expensive this tux is? You know I saved a lot and bought this at Bloomingdale's."

"Oh, take the skirt off, will you. I'm sure it'll wash out. Otherwise, I wouldn't have put a lot in pockets if it didn't." 

Changkyun chuckles, knowing some has gotten in his hair and on his dress shirt. 

"Who would have thought that all because of glitter that Jooheon would be the star of the party. I even saw you make out with someone in the corner after that you dog." 

"Well, what can I say, I have my  _ charms.  _ I even got her house number too would you look at that." Jooheon moonwalks his way back next to Changkyun, walking along the sidewalk as they had been before. He pulls out a piece of paper and kisses it. "Seems like my lucky night."

Minhyuk jumps in. "What about that girl who came up to you? She looked pretty interested in you too. Oh, geez what was her name?" 

"Ashley?" Changkyun answers.

"Not her."

"Jennifer?"

"Nope, that one doesn't ring a bell." Minhyuk shakes his head. 

"Melissa?"

"I don't think she came." 

"Minhyuk—"

"Not him."

_ What?  _ Changkyun feels his eyes rolling like marbles. "Oh my god, slow down and step on the brakes here. Dude, there were many girls that came up to Jooheon tonight." 

"He's got a point. I practically stole everyone's date." 

"I got it! Lauren." A finger points into Jooheon's direction as Minhyuk finally places a face to the name. 

"Ah, her. I don't know. We never talked until tonight. I've only seen her face in the classroom and that's about it."

Changkyun makes a face. "What about that girl you were making out with in the corner then? I'm pretty sure you two barely talked."

"She actually didn't even go to our school, but instead the one that let us have the party there."

It clicks. Minhyuk gets it and eventually so does Changkyun. 

"Oh, I see. Kissing a so-called rich girl, huh?" Changkyun playfully pushes Jooheon off the sidewalk. "What is that going to get you, Joo?"

"Bragging rights." He giggles back, dancing some more as he moves his shoulders side to side.

Minhyuk and Changkyun shake their heads, focusing on the street ahead of them and they see it.

_ The bus. Shit. _

Has it already been that time? Not to mention, there were students already waiting and there were still a ways away. There was no way everyone would fit in there, and Changkyun was ready to push and shove everyone out of his way. The three of them break into a sprint with legs like a cheetah and heart-pounding for more reasons than one. 

Others follow suit as the sounds of heels and dress shoes hit the concrete that echoes into the night. It's loud, roaring the closer they got to the bus, the more it felt like they weren't ain't getting anywhere closer. 

As more students spill inside, it adds one more point to Changkyun's anxiety and panic meter. It takes a few more steps when the three reach the crowd, and it becomes a fight to get to the doors. 

There's a lot of pushing and tugging as everyone shares the same thought of knowing not everyone is going to fit inside the bus. If the school dance wasn't hosted at another school's gymnasium, then they wouldn't be having this problem. 

Changkyun feels like how it was when the cafeteria decided to add their greasy pizza to the menu. It's a tight squeeze. Moving his feet and sliding it forward, and then pushing towards that spot. Suffocating and hot, it puts Changkyun back into the school dance just with less room to move. 

Minhyuk and Jooheon successfully get on the bus, reaching out to help Changkyun up. It's a stretch and a hard one at that, but eventually, his fingers brush against Minhyuk's palm and there's nothing more. The bus is already filled and with the other few small students rushing in with little room left, the doors close.  _ As expected.  _

Panic sets in and Changkyun feels himself lift from the ground by the remaining students that scream to get on. But it's too late for them all, and the sky flips and all the stars blend into one blur. The moment goes by slow, but also so fast there was no way to stop it. The concrete is against his back with hands scraping along the floor, breaking the skin and caused Changkyun to hiss. 

The pain stings, hands feeling hot from collisions and cold from the nightly air. Changkyun watches as the bus moves down the street and travels further,  _ further _ , away from his reach. There are a couple of students try to chase it, not getting far and give up with heads low. Tomorrow Changkyun can predict their school will be receiving a ton of angry calls from parents about their kids returning late after the school dance, complaining about how the event was too far.  _ Which it was. _

Changkyun stands up and winces at the throbbing veins and the aches shaking his body. He looks at the abrasions on his hand and his face contorts; disgusted and watching as blood begins to appear after a few seconds. What a night this turned out to be.

There’s no other choice except to walk and he wasn’t too sure about turning back to the school, afraid he’ll be wasting his time if he got there only to find it closed. He couldn’t call his parents, anyone, and he didn’t want to bother any people sleeping by knocking on their doors at such a late hour. 

With a sigh, heavy on lips, Changkyun turns and walks towards his house with a few students following behind. It’s reassuring that they’re headed in the same general area with him, despite not bothering to converse. He’ll take the silence as a calm white noise for his stroll. A long one for sure, but at least he wasn’t alone and keeps in mind to avoid alleyways and any car that says they’ll take him home. Though, there’s a high chance he won’t see a vehicle pass by, or at least not at the moment.

Changkyun looks down at his hands, watching as the bleeding hasn’t stopped, but he couldn’t treat it at the moment. He knows the healing wouldn’t be all that pretty as it’ll probably scab. It just had to be his palms. Maybe it's far fetched, but perhaps Kihyun's vampire presence gave him a bad stroke of luck. Or today was just not Changkyun's day. 

As time passes, the number of students disappears as he watches people part ways to walk a different path alone and some walk into their home. It’s only a few more blocks until he reaches his house, and a possible ten blocks ahead. He moves his head a little and uses his peripheral to see who else is behind him.  _ Nobody.  _ Just the empty sidewalk, Changkyun and his obnoxious dress shoes against the concrete. 

The silence was eating him now that he was alone. A change in the air after the last person behind him left to go inside his house, and it started to make Changkyun shift uncomfortably. He tilts and rolls his neck to crack and loosen the tight muscles. Nothing changed, but  _ something _ he wasn’t aware of happened. Looking around appeared to show no other signs of life, no lights, and just scenery. He’s been easily paranoid recently, it doesn’t feel right; constantly thinking and turning around. 

“I’m just being paranoid. Just because it’s nighttime; that’s all.” 

A small voice, above a whisper, leaves his lips to comfort himself. Changkyun was smart; he was lying to himself, and he knew it all too well. Once again came back the aching and tightening gut feeling returning, only this time it had felt like he was close to throwing up. Something was off and wrong around him, and it was too hard to ignore.

Shaking his head, Changkyun focuses back in front of him, not wanting to relive the incident of the one night he was being followed. Which surprisingly wasn’t Kihyun, and there were no answers about the situation. If things went differently, what could have happened that night?

Changkyun’s eyes widen at the new presence before him that stands in the middle of the sidewalk. He isn’t sure how the person appeared with such silence knowing that he hadn’t even seen anyone ahead of him. It was like whoever this person appeared out of nowhere.

They were had been aging really badly, with pale skin covered in wrinkles and cheeks swollen in. It was as if he was cracking like his skin was peeling. Body hunched over and wrapped in an array of jackets, torn and dirted as they clearly hadn’t been washed for days considering the rancid and rotting cheese smell. 

Eyes were wide and staring at Changkyun with a crazy look like the man hadn’t slept for days. A smile that looked bigger than his face and the features looked abnormal. It was like Changkyun came in contact with some sort of animal that went through some sort of big fight. There weren’t many homeless people around their part of town but never heard of any type of recent attacks. 

Before Changkyun can take a step back, the man pulls out a gun and there's no way he could dodge a bullet. Literally. Breath hitching as a white puff exists his lips, shaking as he holds his hands up.

"Listen, I'll give you anything you want okay. This tuxedo is a rental, but it's yours. I can pay the fee. But I don't have my wallet on me to give to you."

It was at this moment that he could see it. The second his hands were up was when the man’s eyes turned a bright blood red that Changkyun’s seen before. 

_ A Vampire.  _

However, there was a vast difference between the man and Kihyun’s eyes despite sharing the same color. They felt empty and soulless, with no true emotion except a thirst for blood and to kill. It was as if humanity didn’t exist, and the sight of Changkyun’s now dried bloody hand was the only thing that mattered. A sight that made the man lick his lips and smile wider, pointing the gun with a shaky hand. 

Something was extremely wrong with this vampire. 

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you. Let me just taste you and lick the sweetness dry. I haven’t had anything for months, and now I’ve got you.”

The raspy voice sounded like it had seen its years of long term smoking, frail and cracking with desperation. 

“Listen–”

“No! You listen to me. I need to have your blood.”

Changkyun feels paralyzed, and there’s no other way he sees himself out of the situation; either way, he’ll die. He really doesn’t want his night to end like this, his life to be cut short and everything he’s done feels so incomplete. Adrenaline floods Changkyun’s system, heart beating and pumping like itself wanted to escape. 

The man takes one more step before blood is shed against the concrete and splatters the moon red. It gave color to the monochrome night as if to show that this was reality than a bad nightmare. Changkyun screams, watching as in a quick second as the vampire falls with a thud, a deep gash in his neck. 

Eyes quickly turned black, lifeless with nothing else needed to see in the world. Blood continued to gush from his neck, choking and gargling as it comes through his mouth. And Changkyun is pushed into blackness as there’s nothing else he can see or is allowed to see.

Without seeing a face, the earthy, sandalwood scent that made it clear the person holding him was Kihyun. An arm wraps around Changkyun’s head and covers his ears, not wanting him to listen to the sounds of the vampire choking on blood. Despite not seeing everything, he saw enough that made him shake, and breathing became more rapid and shallow. The reality was starting to sink in further.

“Shh, calm down, calm down. You’re safe now; it’s going to be alright.” Kihyun assured, stepping away from the scene with Changkyun still in his arms. Kihyun looked down at the body, seeing the vampire blood and body liquefying, releasing a smell that made Changkyun start to gag. A heavy, gaseous and nauseating odor that couldn’t be blocked out.

Changkyun, with curiosity killing the cat, shifts his head to take a peek at what on earth could be happening to create such a smell.  _ He wishes he didn’t.  _ Seeing bones and skin melt as if they were the wax of a candle; a form not even resembling a figure. It had just turned into a puddle of death. 

“Oh my god, oh my god. He’s– he’s not even–” Changkyun’s panicking again, and Kihyun just whispers in his ear words of comfort, reminding him that he was alive from such an ordeal and that he was safe with him. 

“He won’t stay like that. He’s a vampire. It just takes a very gruesome process before I need to turn it into ash.” It took a decent amount of time for Kihyun to let go, slowly pulling away to finish the needed job. He places his hand on Changkyun’s shoulders. His appearance takes Changkyun’s breath away (not in that way) when he sees blood spatter against his face. “Don’t turn around again, okay? Stay here.”

Kihyun watches Changkyun's facial features intently, noticing his lips quivering and eyes wide close to watering. He was scared stiff, unresponsive and it started to worry Kihyun. It was a scene that shouldn’t have been witnessed. 

Faintly, Changkyun nods his head, slowly. His gaze returned back to the floor, staring at his dress shoes and Kihyun moves away from him, rubbing his arms to reassure him. 

Stepping towards the pile of liquified skin and bones, Kihyun looks down and grimaces. After nearly fourteen decades he still isn’t used to the sight and smell. He reaches into his coat pocket, fingers brushing against the familiar box he carries with him. A matchbox. Taking one out, Kihyun strikes it against the sandpaper side and watches as the yellow flame sputters to life. 

Without a second thought, he throws the match onto the pile of dead flesh as it ignites and grows. The burnt repulsive stench intensifies and slowly the body boils and turns black, knowing whatever it was burning wasn’t human. It would be a matter of seconds until it would turn to dust, and Kihyun focuses his attention back to Changkyun.  _ Poor guy.  _

“It’s okay now. You can turn around.”

Changkyun does so, eyes immediately moving to the floor to expect a burnt pile of skeleton bones and flesh, but Kihyun was right. It was just  _ dust.  _ To believe that used to be a vampire, someone who tried to kill him. 

“What happens to him? Does he ever come back or is he gone forever? Can you take the dust and make him whole again? Why was he using a gun if he was a vampire? Could that have been the person following me that one night? But that would be impossible right?”

“Hey, slow down there.” Kihyun chuckles, holding up his hand. “I understand it’s all hard to understand, but I’ll explain in a minute. First, let’s sort of take care of that injury on your hands.”

_ Ah, that’s right.  _

“Do you have like healing powers or something? That would be great considering I need to use my hands for practically everything. I’m not that great with my toes just so you know.”

Kihyun tilts his head with a questioning smile. “Interesting bit of information, but I don’t need to know what  _ things  _ you do with your toes. And no, I don’t have anything like that.” 

_ Bummer _ . It would have been cool to witness if it were possible. Changkyun observes as Kihyun reaches into his pocket to pull out a powder white handkerchief, ripping it in half. He holds out his hands with palms up and notices how Kihyun winces as if feeling the pain. It was still bad with skin peeled and part of flesh exposed. The cold in a way sterilized the wound to some degree and made the pain go away even though it still throbbed. 

The handkerchief is carefully wrapped around his hand, ensuring that there isn’t any more pain to be felt. Changkyun bites his lip down as it’s tied the fabric rubbing against his wound feels almost unbearable, itching to take off.

“Sorry.” Kihyun glanced at the pained expression, moving to the underhand. “I’m trying to hide the smell of blood in case any other vampire decides to come for it as it’s sweet. You’re with me so my scent should hold them off.”

“Sweet? I’m guessing you’re not meaning that it’s cool.”

“Nope.” Kihyun pops the ‘p’ hard. “The smell of your blood is sweeter than most. You’re not the only one of course, but vampires love sweet blood.”

Chnagkyun’s lips turn into a line. “I’m keeping my eyes on you, mister.” He receives a look through Kihyun’s eyelashes with a smile curled on his lips, letting out an airy laugh through his nose. “Do you know why that vampire was so frail? I don’t understand the use of a gun.”

“No more blood. Somehow or someway he wasn’t in access to it, and the more he couldn’t drink then the more it weakened him. Without it, it begins to age you and makes you slower, and you lose all your strength.” 

It sounded hard to believe, but the seriousness that was weaved into the words showed differently. 

“Does that mean he proceeded to dress like a bum to trick anyone to come near him?"

“Possible. A person could see that and feel sympathy and come up to him. Never seen that before.”

Kihyun takes off his coat and places it on Changkyun’s shoulders, smoothing out any wrinkles. The gesture is warm, just like the heat that radiates from it and it’s calming. There’s so much more that needs to be asked and to question. He wants to understand what is happening to him and how he should be able to avoid it. 

“Thanks. I would ask more, but I think I’ll call it a night before my head explodes. There’s a heavy amount to take in. Most likely I’ll be getting some nightmares; possibly for a few days.”

“Fair enough. Now let’s get you home. I wouldn’t want any other trouble to come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read and would like to share your favorite part on Twitter, use hashtag #AfterDarkAO3  
I'll be sure to read it and thank you!!!!!!
> 
> Twitter: yooki221


	3. Knowing Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changkyun and Kihyun are getting closer, but is it for good reason? Through the sentences of getting to know one another better, there's an idea that is proposed. However, will it become their downfall?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, I'm back. I'll try my best to write these past months have been hell. I apologize for any typos I've read it about twice so I pray this is okay!!! 
> 
> If you're on Twitter please use the tag #AfterDarkAO3 as it would really mean a lot 🥺🥺

For what seemed like the billionth time, Changkyun tossed and turned, unable to find the right position for comfort. Kicking off the blanket to only pull it back, his skin hot and sweaty to immediately became icy cold. Each inch of the bed felt covered in poison ivy. It was itchy and gradually became more irritated as seconds passed. Changkyun thought he couldn't sleep last time, but this was worse. 

It's early, four in the morning perhaps, but Changkyun's too lazy to check. Tired of staring at the back of his eyelids for the past hour or so, wondering if this time he'll fall asleep. Not to mention the occasional flashback to the vampire practically liquefying before his eyes. It was something that still seemed like a horrible nightmare, or came right out of the movie The Fly.

He turns on his back, staring at the ceiling and contemplates watching the television downstairs. The local news was about to go on at six, but that wouldn't be a great station to lull him back to sleep. If not, Changkyun considers he could just make some mac and cheese. Food does strangely taste better in the wee hours of the morning. 

"I wonder if Kihyun was this restless when he first saw vampires die." 

A thought said out loud without much thought; funny enough. It's four or six in the morning, anything that comes out of his mouth is going to be random. Can't blame him. 

"Yeah, it terrified me. I couldn't kill vampires at first if they attacked because I was so young that I didn't know how."

Changkyun whips his head at the new voice that's in his room. And there Kihyun is once again making his way inside for more donuts and god knows what else. Changkyun is a little used to it, but that's saying a lot.

No dip in the bed for when Kihyun arrives as if he had been laying next to him the whole time. Hands entwined and resting on his chest as he too looks at the ceiling with Changkyun. No sense of urgency. 

"What are you doing here now?" Changkyun exhales, trying best not to show his slight irritation. Kihyun could probably smell it for all he knows. "If you were here for donuts, you would have gotten them by now."

"Good to know there's a new stash for me."

"I think I spend more money on your addiction than myself."

Kihyun laughs. It's cute, Changkyun has to admit. "Flattered." 

"Why else are you here though?" 

"Hm?" Kihyun turned his head in Changkyun's direction for the first time he had arrived. "You asked a question so I came over to answer it."

"It still doesn't convince me that you should be in my room right now." 

"What kind of donuts are they? Smells different." 

_ Kihyun's not even listening.  _

Changkyun has had enough and rolls over onto his stomach, rubbing his face into his pillow. The words that come out next are mumbled against the cushion, something that Kihyun can't decipher. 

Turning to his side, Kihyun chortles and eye-smiles wide and cutely in amusement. 

Changkyun doesn’t have time for this. Not that he already had the time, but his patience has been riding a unicycle on a thin line while juggling five different colored balls. If he pretends to sleep, there could be a high chance that Kihyun could get bored and go back to his own home.  _ Hopefully.  _

Kihyun reaches out to Changkyun, gently placing his fingers on the back of his neck; a feathery feel, light and fairly reluctant. They’re cold and slender like an ice cube gliding across the skin.  _ Strange, last time they were so warm.  _ Changkyun jumps at the touch, body tense, and waiting for whatever tricks Kihyun has up his sleeve. Even if that was possible, Changkyun was in no match for the strength of a vampire, but he doesn't swat him away. 

Once there was no disapproval to Kihyun’s surprise, his fingers slowly proceed down to the base of Changkyun's neck. He applies a minimal amount of pressure, moving in a circular motion to try and release some of the tension. It's a small gesture, and there was the chance that the action wouldn't do much. 

The exchange of words is nonexistent. There was no need for a conversation at the moment. For laying with a vampire next to you in bed and allowing it to touch you, it was surprisingly  _ calm.  _

Kihyun gazes at the slender and lean piece of art, hot to the touch in contrast to his fingers. Not that it’s the vampire in him talking, but Changkyun has a very pleasing neck in general. It’s not too long and has a perfect thickness.  _ Well, that sounds like nothing else on his body. _ Smooth and very tempting to bite, even just for Kihyun to nuzzle his nose against it would be a blessing.  _ But he’s getting ahead of himself.  _

He doesn't want to break Changkyun's trust; that is if there is any. This has been the first human who didn't try to kill him after finding out about his true identity as well. It doesn’t happen anymore, Kihyun is much smarter and aware, but he’s blissful this slip up didn’t end badly for both of them. Kihyun makes "excellent" first impressions. 

There’s the thought in Kihyun’s mind of going back home, but he feels too comfortable to move. For once, it feels as if he doesn’t want to go back and hide in the house. He pulls away and immediately stops when words become extinct. 

"Why'd you stop?"

Changkyun's deep voice cuts the air like a knife, almost scaring Kihyun off the bed. It’s low and soft but heavy enough to make Kihyun’s mouth go dry. 

"I thought you were asleep." 

“Almost. Your massages were lulling me to sleep especially with how cool your fingers are." With Changkyun’s lips pressed against the pillow and Kihyun can’t get over how his vocals are substantially deeper than normal, down a few octaves perhaps. Not going to lie, he finds it to be extremely sexy. Changkyun opens his mouth once again. “It’s like turning your pillow on the other side because it’s cooler.”

“Hm, I’ve never tried that before.” Kihyun places his hand back on Changkyun’s neck.  _ Shit. _ Changkyun can’t help but suck in a breath at the brisk sensation and he turns to look at Kihyun. "Jesus, fuck, are your fingers always this cold? Talk about an Abominable Snowman."

Kihyun smiles and tilts his head as his fingers trace the start of Changkyun's spine, stopping at the collar of his shirt. "Are you calling me a yeti?"

"Would a snowy bigfoot be a better word for you?"

“Doesn’t hide the fact that they’re still hairy creatures, but I like cats so I can’t be mean to yetis.” Before he gives Changkyun a chance to respond, his fingers make their way to past his shoulders. They have a destination in mind as they skim across the skin. “But, if you're bored with my freezing neck massages, I could do something _ else _ .” The question in Changkyun’s mind has already been answered before a finger pokes the mole that's on his neck. "This is pretty cute, for some reason."

"If you're planning to bite me, my answer for you would be no _ . _ " 

Kihyun frowns, clicking his tongue. "Aw, you're no fun. I would need your consent anyway."

"To bite me? That’s interesting for a vampire to say. Why would you need consent when that's your nature."

"'Cause you know I'm a vampire. I can't just randomly bite you if you know what I am, especially if we have a relationship built; it's like if I bit Wonho; it breaks the trust." Kihyun explains, eyes never meeting Changkyun's face. "Others die because if they stay alive, they'll talk around town. If I bite you, you would need to be okay with it because you're accepting for me to feed off you. Call it an agreement if you will."

Changkyun blinks, trying his best to piece everything together. He’s  _ never  _ heard about such things in the vampire books and shows he watched. They were just monsters that had a lust for blood. Sensing the confusion and lack of a response, Kihyun continues. 

"If you didn't know I was a vampire, and I bite you when you have no idea, wouldn't you be frightened?" He earns a nod. "I don't know what the person might do if I let them go. Yes, screaming "vampire" might make you sound crazy, but there's evidence on your neck. My fangs pierce your neck, so the area doesn’t heal right away."

"How do you even know someone wouldn't be frightened if you tell them?"

"I can't trust people like that. You don't know if people will react positively to such a thing, and mostly it’s never an enthusiastic response."

Kihyun had a point there. Changkyun almost pissed himself when finding out, and frightened was the first reaction to everything he witnessed. He knows what could happen to him if he blurted out his neighbor was a vampire, but Kihyun is  _ tolerable  _ and pretty… eccentric. 

The information that was being told seemed reasonable and fair for a relationship between a human and a vampire. There's a single promise both would have to keep: The secret and to have the restraint. If Changkyun hadn't known, he could have been an easy target for a meal. The simple thought gives him shivers. Any vampire could come and kill him like the one from earlier and Changkyun knows they won't have the same restraint as Kihyun. 

"Still confused?"

"No. The information is interesting." Changkyun responds. He's grateful (surprisingly) that the vampire who decided to move next to him was someone more considerate than he thought. "So, how do you know I won't tell?"

"Trust me, I'm pretty sure you won't." Kihyun smiles, eyes shining with desire. For a single second, his eyes shine red and then back to normal. If Changkyun blinked, he would have missed that and it makes Changkyun’s mouth dry like cotton. "I'll give you one more question for tonight, so shoot."

Changkyun opens his mouth, quickly closing. Only a total of two questions to ask, and it's not enough to kill the everyday growing curiosity. He does have the chance to ask tomorrow, or another date, so maybe it's for the best. Taking in too much information at once would really not help him sleep at night. But there are so many thoughts that he wants to ask them all right now. Though, he is curious about one thing about the topic.

"Why?"

"Why what? Why only one more question?" 

"No, why do this? Like, any other vampire would kill me no matter what. I know you said it was because I invited you in my house, and treated you like a human despite knowing, but.." He messes with a few wrinkles in the sheets. “That doesn’t really answer it. You would have still killed my friends and me as that left a very vulnerable and easy opening for attack.”

There's a pause on Kihyun’s part. Hesitation. His thoughts deep and trying to find an answer to make sense for all his actions that are enough for Changkyun to understand. 

"I still want to keep certain relationships if I'm able." The question brings a lot more weight than expected. Kihyun's eyes downcast to his hands, fiddling with his fingers. "For so many years, I had to leave friends behind and watch them die as I just aged slowly. After about five years, suspicions grew about why I still looked like a child and I could only age every ten years. Guess you could say I'm trying to hang on to whatever human qualities I can still have."

A dry chuckle leaves Kihyun. The way his lips forcibly curl upwards; it's awkward and too stiff to be a genuine grin, at least from what Changkyun has seen before. He knows better. 

“I might not look like a good person in your eyes, but I try to be normal. At least, I would like to be seen as one. Being a vampire is… a lot. It’s not as special as television and books make it seem." 

Changkyun is at a loss for words. Should he feel sympathy? He can’t apologize because there’s nothing to apologize for and he isn’t sure what words could turn the melancholy air around. There's a vulnerable side being shown, walls are down and there's a sense of loneliness. 

He needs to do something. It’s itchy to lay in the uncomfortable silence. So, he reaches out to clasp one of Kihyun’s frigid fiddling hands that stop and tense under him. They're still a little cold, and Changkyun grazes his fingers against the back of Kihyun's hand to warm them. 

It’s cute how wide his eyes grow, staring at their hands and then back to Changkyun’s face. His lips part slightly, never saying anything as he blinks away. The way how Kihyun can be so expressive is amusing. He’s like a sea otter. 

Changkyun wants to divert the topic. 

He doesn't know what else to do to comfort Kihyun. There are vast differences in struggles that Changkyun is unable to experience as a mere human. What sort of advice could he even give? There’s one solution that might work, so he goes for it.

“Do you still want those donuts? I have cinnamon glazed and glazed vanilla cake flavor.” 

Kihyun blinks for what seems like the response given, a little taken aback. It doesn't hide the smile that grows on his face; small, but it's visible.  _ It worked!  _ Changkyun finds himself grinning, wider than he probably should. He's unable to hide his excitement and makes a mental note for the future. Donuts are Kihyun's happy place. Noted.

"What? Is something funny?"

"No, it's nothing. The donuts are— 

Before Changkyun even finishes his sentence, the cool sensation of Kihyun's body has disappeared in a blink of an eye. Literally. The spot is empty, only left staring at the other end of the room.  _ That was fast. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Changkyun gets a knock on his door in the middle of cleaning the living room. He didn't expect anyone over, and if so, they would have called the house phone. Jooheon was out for a dentist appointment, and Minhyuk was studying for a big test. If it was Kihyun, well, he'd be inside already. 

There was only one other person to come by, though Changkyun wasn't sure why. 

He stops to go check the peephole, and he's right; it's Wonho. Already, Changkyun could see the urgency by the way he was fidgeting, looking around and shoving his hands into his pockets.

As soon as the door opens, Wonho brings a hand up to his chest, relieved. 

"Oh, thank God. I was about to go back home and force Kihyun out of the house myself somehow. Thinking about making a headband with a mini fishing rod tie a donut to it."

Changkyun laughs at the image that pops into his head. He'd want to try that one day. Kihyun is practically a fish when it comes to donuts; always taking the bait. 

"I'd actually like to see that. What seems to be the problem?"

"I have a meeting I need to go to, and Kihyun is always cooped up in the house. Do you mind dragging him to the mall and taking him shopping?" Wonho begins searching in his pockets. He pulls out a wallet, proceeding to pull out some cash.  _ Holy damn. Is this a babysitting job?  _ "I'll give you two hundred dollars cash in spending money because the couch potato won't take it. I'd really appreciate it."

Changkyun is wounded. A critical hit. His mind clouded when Wonho doesn't wait for an answer as he grabs Changkyun's wrist, shoving the bills into his hand. 

"I'm flattered you trust me but are you sure? How do I know if he'll listen to me?" 

"Please. He's a dog when it comes to you; I think he'd follow you anywhere. You could even try to make him act like one too; he'll listen."

_ Weird.  _ Changkyun isn't sure what to think about the situation, but since he's put on the spot with money in his hand, he really doesn't want to say no now. It seems everything had been settled before he knew about the issue. The question was, however, why Changkyun? Yeah, he and Kihyun are close but not that close. Hell, he's still frightened by Kihyun, it ain't easy finding out your neighbor is a vampire. 

"Sure. I'll take Kihyun shopping for you." 

Wonho smiles big with eyes as crescent moons and Changkyun finds himself agreeing without knowing fully what he's gotten into. He knows, only  _ not enough.  _

"Thank you Changkyun. Please keep in mind not too much sunlight and make sure Kihyun doesn't buy any more turtlenecks. I'm starting to think he's just a floating head."

And with that, Wonho makes his leave. It was up to Changkyun to figure out a way to have Kihyun leave the house. Did he usually stay inside most of the time? Changkyun knows the sun doesn't affect Kihyun, but why would you never go outside if you have that ability. There has to be a reason for that. 

Changkyun closes the door, figuring he should wash up and change before heading over next door. He's nervous. More than nervous perhaps, but every day the time he spends with Kihyun is increasing. He's not sure if that should be a bad or good thing. 

"Okay, let's get this over with. I'm only coming as long as we can buy some donuts." 

There Kihyun sits on the couch with his arms and legs crossed like a child and ready to go. He's wearing his trademark turtleneck, never once seen wearing a regular shirt.

_ What the fuck? Kihyun?!  _

"How long have you been here?"

"Enough to know I still have to go out." 

It's strange. A vampire is able to go outside without getting burned alive by natural sunlight, and yet, he still doesn't want to leave his house. 

Changkyun folds his arms. "If I were you, I'd be pretty damn happy to go outside." 

"Well, you're not me so you can't talk." Kihyun defends, crossing his arms again to further emphasize. 

"Fine, fine, I won't argue. Let's go because the quicker we move, the faster you'll get to come back here." He pockets the money, watching as Kihyun moves from the couch and past Changkyun. "Where are you going?"

Kihyun halts, puzzled. He shoots over a look, wondering why he was being questioned. Were they not supposed to go through the front door? Was there something he missed? Forgotten? There was nothing left on the couch. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Are you not going to use your vampire teleportation powers? Ya know, zap us to the mall or something." 

_ I see now.  _ There must have been a huge misunderstanding somewhere or a lack of communication for this to happen. It makes Kihyun chuckle, interested as to what made this assumption. He's all ears at this point. 

"Didn't know I could do that." 

"What do you mean? How else do you get to me so fast? I didn't see you turn into a bat or actually knock and use the door." 

The chuckle turns into a laugh, and Kihyun covers his mouth with the back of his hand as his eyes turn into crescents.  _ Oof.  _ That made Changkyun's heart flip like a pancake. 

"Television must love to make vampires look cool. I don't know what kind of vampire movies you're watching, but I get around by moving at an incredibly fast speed which is called flitting. There's no teleportation like Marty Mcfly and his time machine." 

_ Woah… Kihyun watched 'Back to the Future'? Wait. That's not important right now. _

There's a look of disappointment on Changkyun's face. It's cute, pouty, and cheeks puffed. Guess he was expecting something spectacular to see in reality, but it's not like that.  _ None of it is. _

Changkyun mumbles under his breath, still audible between the both of them. 

"It would be rad to watch you turn into a bat. But then it would be creepy to see you morph and hang from my ceiling." 

"I don't know how that would be  _ rad.  _ Then again people like werewolves." 

Kihyun walks out of the front door, leaving the conversation at that. He wants to get this shopping thing that Wonho pushed on them out of the way. It was tiring to go and do errands when you didn't want to. 

"Wait!" Changkyun throws himself out the door and frantically locks the house. Kihyun already has walked a great distance away.  _ He really wants to get this over with already.  _

Jogging his way over, Changkyun leans in, puzzled by Kihyun's recent comment. If he was real, that could mean other creatures couldn't only be make-believe. 

He just has to ask; how could he not. 

"Does that mean werewolves and mermaids exist too?"

"Why?" Kihyun questions. "Am I not cool enough for you?" There's a smile that curls at his lips, dancing, and teasing. "Does my existence break your imagination of what you actually thought vampires were like?" 

Changkyun doesn't want to say no, but he also doesn't want to say yes either. Kihyun is pretty cool, but still very frightening.

"I mean, if you're real, that means others are too, correct?" Yes. Changkyun danced around answering the question. 

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you!" 

There's a pause. It makes Changkyun anxious at the lack of response. The answer might be extremely obvious, but he just wants to hear it be said. To know that there  _ is  _ something out there that has yet to be discovered, and is  _ actually true,  _ would be mind-blowing. 

Kihyun only smiles, not saying another word as he directs his attention back to the sidewalk. There's no more addressing the topic, but it's clear there's truth lies within it. Nothing specific, but it's evident. 

A greedy, smarmy smile spreads across Changkyun's face. He's the only human to know these types of creatures exist, and one being right next to him. 

"You seem very proud." Kihyun points out, and it's true. "Wish I had seen that when you found out about me."

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I think even if you were something else, I still would have given the same reaction." And it's true. There's still the slight worry something could go wrong, but for now, a sense of calmness settles within him. 

_ It's strange.  _

"How much did Wonho give you?" 

"I'm not sure. He sort of just shoved the money into my hands and practically told me to make sure you don't buy any more turtlenecks." 

"Of course he would say that." 

They turn the corner, not bothering to check how much cash they have right on the sidewalk. "Why do you wear a lot of turtlenecks? You said one time you can't drink off another vampire, so why hide your neck?" 

It's an issue that Changkyun can't really seem to wrap his head around. For a vampire, Kihyun's choices are questionable. He doesn't want to go outside even though he can, he wears clothes as if it's cold, and covers himself up a lot. Protects Changkyun against another vampire cause why? They still don't even know one another that well. 

One thing for sure, Kihyun has been kind and considerate, and Changkyun is thankful for that. Of course, the first impression could be better. 

"Makes me feel somewhat hidden being covered up." 

"Wouldn't that just draw more attention to you? Especially since everyone here is practically a walking rainbow."

Kihyun doesn't move his head, but his eyes gravitate towards Changkyun and they make eye contact. 

"You ask a lot of questions." Changkyun is thrown a side smirk. "Why don't you tell me about yourself since I practically only know your name."

"But there's nothing striking about me. You're another different being that has so much media releasing false information as entertainment." 

"I'll think about it. Maybe after we're finished we could sit and chat." 

Changkyun grumbles. "You're killing me."

The words don't go unheard by Kihyun once again. He must turn into a bat with those ears. 

"Please, you would know if I was."

Changkyun playfully hits Kihyun in the arm only to be grabbed by the wrist roughly. It's tight, but not enough to leave a mark or physically hurt. Changkyun's legs shake a little, but not as much as the arm that's gripped by Kihyun. His brow taut, eyes shifting to every inch of Kihyun's face trying to look for an answer. 

Looking at the crack in the sidewalk, Kihyun loosens his grip as Changkyun's arm goes limp, landing to his side. 

"Sorry. If my words seemed to have offended you in any way." Kihyun voices out, placing his hands in his pockets where they go to hide. 

"No, that's," Changkyun pinches his nose, brushing his hair out of his face. "It was supposed to be a playful gesture, but you probably thought I was attacking you." 

"Hitting people is playful?"

"Well, I wasn't trying to physically harm you. Plus I know you're stronger than I am so I wouldn't dare to fight you." They start walking again, trying to leave that incident behind. "And no, it's the context that it's in. You were teasing me so I responded back."

Kihyun nods. "So you were flirting with me?"

Changkyun's face catches aflame. "That's not what that meant! It means that I'm comfortable enough to touch you. To a certain extent that is, but it's an improvement. Like how you playfully shoved Wonho. Instead, I had a fist so I know it didn’t seem that joking."

"Comfortable…" Kihyun doesn't say anything else except for a smile that forms on his face. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The moment they step inside the mall, Kihyun's face automatically shifts and there's an enormous look of disgust on his face. It's almost comical. 

"This reeks of sweat and perfume all at the same time." They start moving, only for Kihyun to halt and point at a blonde girl chewing a piece of gum with bags weighing on her arms. "Are those socks over her shoes?"

"First of all, try not to point at people like they're an animal in a zoo, and second, those are called leg warmers; name pretty much speaks for itself." 

For the amount of time Kihyun has been alive, Changkyun can guess he's been through too many changes to count on both of their fingers and toes combined. It's most likely another reason as to why he dresses a certain way. Even if they're all turtlenecks, there's a particular aura that hangs around Kihyun. 

Fancy seems like a small word to describe him; especially for someone like Kihyun who is so complex in many ways. There must be more as to why Kihyun appears still so mysterious. There's a sophistication. 

To be honest, the outfits people wear nowadays aren't even that bad. Though, Changkyun doesn't really like leotards. They sort of scare him. 

"Have you ever been in a mall before?" 

Kihyun shakes his head hard. "Not really. I don't socialize at all. I try to avoid crowded places because they make me nervous." 

Changkyun takes a glance at Kihyun.  _ Yeah, he can see that. Sort of. Alright, maybe not.  _ If Kihyun is nervous then he's doing a pretty good job of hiding it. 

"I would have never suspected. You're pretty laid back sometimes, but can be expressive when you want to. It's—" Woah, Changkyun almost said cute. "Pretty legit, bro."

"Legit? It's pretty real, what does that mean?" 

"I'll teach all the things to fit in with humans just leave that to me. By the end of today you'll blend right into the crowd."

An eyebrow is raised and Kihyun doesn't speak up. He can't deny the idea because Changkyun would most likely not listen.  _ Fit in.  _ It's an ugly word made by society. Why should one feel the need to fit in for the sake of others. What does it even accomplish if it wipes away your original self.

Reluctantly, Kihyun follows Changkyun into a store that pops with so much color it makes his head hurt. It was like the colors vibrated, jumped out and would slap somebody in the face if it could. Not only was it a literal eye sore, but Kihyun couldn't even imagine himself wearing such clothes; not even in his nightmares. 

Back in the early 1900s, Kihyun remembers the days of wearing a waistcoat along with a jacket and trousers. The stupid hat he would always wear and the time where he would used to slick back his hair. He's glad he can become free with the way he dresses though, he didn't expect it to be this free. 

Kihyun doesn't even know what most of the clothes he is looking at are called. Like leg warmers? Just wear pants and that'll keep them warm. 

He studies the clothes that are laid out before him. Watching women of different ages, mostly high school girls pick up an article of clothing and hold it up. 

_ What the fuck is that? _

It was something similar to a one piece bathing suit except the torso area was cut off and there weren't suspenders attached to the item, but that's what it had looked to be. Kihyun feels like he shouldn't be here standing out like a sore thumb. It feels hot where he's at so he moves to another spot of the store and decides to look at a shirt. The new area is less populated and gives a little more room for breathing. 

Yeah, Kihyun decides to take a look at the shirts. Something else that isn't traumatizing. 

Across the store, Changkyun is in his own little dimension trying to imagine what would look decent on Kihyun. He already has a few clothes hanging from his forearm despite not knowing Kihyun's size, but that doesn't stop him. 

Changkyun looks up again to see Kihyun stare at the same shirt he has been eyeing for about three minutes. His stance resembles that of a drill sergeant scrutinizing the details and taking in each piece. 

And the object behind him shows something that drives Changkyun into panic mode. 

_ Kihyun's reflection isn't in the mirror. _

In a hurry and without much thought, Changkyun sprints at Kihyun like a linebacker. Taking long strides, Kihyun lifts up his head when he feels the presence come closer. Changkyun grabs Kihyun by the shoulders and pushes him out of the way, making sure nobody saw how Kihyun was practically playing magic fun house with the mirror.

"Oh, someone is getting kinky in public." Kihyun gives a lopsided grin. 

"Did you know there was a mirror behind you? Sometimes I think you forget what you are?"

"I do have heightened senses, so there's no way I wouldn't know. If anything we'll have an excuse of me being a magician for something." 

"So let's say if people wonder why your hands can get really cold indoors, have a slightly pale but fair complexion and hate being in the sun despite being able to walk out in it, you want me to convince people you're a snowman."

"Wonho does say my nose is pointy as a carrot."

Changkyun crosses his arms. Kihyun crosses his arms as well. 

"Child."

"Adolescent." Kihyun retorts.

"Are you trying to copy me because I don't appreciate it."

"It would be a pleasure if you could stop mimicking me, please." 

Changkyun scoffs, rubbing his temple. "Okay, let's get this over with then so we can go home." 

"I would love nothing more than to go home right now. Honestly wish I hid in my house instead of flitting to your living room." 

"Alright, calm down princess; stop your whining." Kihyun frowns, but Changkyun shoves the first batch of clothes into his arms. "Try these on and I want you to come out with a nice pose. But please don't do anything that makes you look like you have a big dick."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"People pose in a way where they like to show that they got a big mail package down there that needs to be delivered. Please don't be one of them. Simple." 

Kihyun doesn’t say anything. Not when he doesn’t understand what has been said to him, so he decides to place the clothes down and take off his coat. Once he starts to grab the hem of his shirt, that’s when he is stopped by Changkyun. 

“Woah, woah!” Changkyun clasps his hand over Kihyun who once again is looking at him like a dog who doesn’t understand shake. “You can’t just change here where everyone is out. Go to the changing rooms, that’s what they’re there for.”

Without another word Kihyun is shoved into a small, cramped room that looks like it could have seen better days. There’s a small stool, but he thinks he’ll stand. Looking around the pale banana yellow walls with stains that should most likely never be questioned for the sake of sanity, Kihyun doesn’t even want to place the clothes down. 

There’s a mirror included that doesn’t show his reflection. What’s the point in dressing when you can’t even see how good you look? 

He looks at his hands, seeing a panther black coat and a striped red and white shirt that doesn’t hide the neck. Kihyun wonders how humans can just walk around with their necks all out for the world to see. If he flitted out of the changing room, how long would it take for Changkyun to notice he was gone?

Obeying and succumbing to what dignity he can hold on to, Kihyun changes, making sure not to touch anything around him in case it ends up killing him. He holds onto his previous clothes tightly, rubbing his neck as he feels the air hit the flesh. This is going to take some getting used to for sure. 

“Do I have to come out?” Kihyun shouts. The chatter in the store had increased. 

“Of course, I want to see what you look like.”

Kihyun lets out an audible groan, knowing Changkyun won’t hear it. Once again reluctantly, Kihyun steps out feeling naked once Changkyun’s eyes fall onto him. He looks down to make sure he isn’t exposed in any way.  _ Thank goodness. _

“Wow, so that’s what your neck looks like. It’s just a normal one!”

“Did you think I had no neck at all?” 

Changkyun moves closer to inspect his model that’s looking way better than expected. That sandalwood, earthy scent comes into the space between them once Changkyun takes a few steps closer to Kihyun. He raises a hand to fix the collar of Kihyun’s coat, not making eye contact but Changkyun feels how much he is being stared at; makes him fidget. 

“Wonho said he thinks you’re a floating head since you wear a lot of turtlenecks. I think when it hits summertime you’ll really start to catch fire.” 

Kihyun snorts, the image in his head fascinating. “How do you know I wouldn’t be catching on fire because my looks are so fine, hot even." 

"You're a pretty confident guy for saying you don't socialize." Changkyun pats Kihyun's coat and smooths it out before taking a space back. This time he makes eye contact. "Never would have expected that from you."

"That's cause I don’t think you have to be sociable in order to feel confident. Though, I think everyone has a balance of both confidence and insecurity. But come on, let's finish this up to go home."

“Wait, but what about—”

"Is this see through?" Kihyun holds up the shirt as his eyes once again start to scrutinize every stitch and seam. He cuts Changkyun off as he focuses his attention elsewhere. "Why would anyone walk in public with their nipples out in the world for everyone to see?" 

“Kihyun.”

“Hm?” 

Kihyun tilts his head to the side with his lips never fully reaching the edge of his face.  _ Ah, okay.  _ Changkyun smiles back as he takes the hint. It was best to drop the subject and move on. Whatever the issue was, this clearly wasn’t the time and place for it, nor was it any time to pry. Probing any further would be like poking the bear with a stick; it’ll leave an awkward air.

"That fabric is called mesh.” Changkyun shifts closer to Kihyun. "People usually wear something under that to cover up the holes. If you don't wear anything underneath, it's not going to be wholesome."  _ Pun intended, but Kihyun probably doesn't know what that means if he says it.  _ "But put that down, you won't be wearing that."

"I wouldn't want my nipples out anyways."

This conversation is getting to be too much to handle. So much so Changkyun feels a little dizzy almost. 

"Alright, take that jacket off because I want to see if a lighter color would look best."

Kihyun takes off the store's coat and for a simple movement, it catches Changkyun off guard. What attracts more attention than the face is Kihyun's chest and holy crap, his chest is huge. 

"I see…" Oh, he definitely sees alright. Changkyun has to mentally slap his face away from ogling the magnificent piece of work that's very distracting and rude. 

Switching jackets, Changkyun watches as the outfit comes altogether. It was as satisfying as putting the last puzzle piece in. Would it be too much to dye Kihyun's hair? Blonde would look nice on him, or more surprisingly gray. Actually he could even be bald and still look good, Changkyun thinks any color could work.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's not healthy for you." Kihyun pokes Changkyun's head. "You're staring at me again and it's creepy."

"Would you be opposed to dying your hair a different color? I think it would look killer."

"Nope, that's enough out of you. Now give me the other clothes I have to try on."

Changkyun gaps, hurt at the sudden rejection. "You didn't even consider it!"

"I have three words for you: No, Nein, and Non." 

How unfair. Was given the word no in three separate languages, that was the final blow to the chest. There's isn't any point in trying to push the idea so the best thing to do was to continue the mini fashion show. 

Handing Kihyun a bright orange jacket and a black shirt, it makes his face shift in a matter of seconds.

"This is really bright. Do I have to try this on too?" 

"It's not that bright. I think it'll look good on you. These are just shirts so we can buy these without trying them on 'cause they are your size." Changkyun looks through the pile of colorful shirts and sweaters. "For sweaters I think going a size up works. There's nothing more sexy than a person in a big ass sweater."

"Sexy?" 

"I said what I said. Now go and put on your orange jacket so we can go eat and then leave." 

"I don't know about this." Despite his words, Kihyun reluctantly, _for the_ _third time for chrissake, _switches the jackets. He turns his body half way, arms out as he examines it on himself. He doesn't know how he feels except feeling as if all eyes are on him. "I look like those orange chips I see the kids eat. What are they called? Chets?"

"I think you mean Cheetos. Have you tried them before?" 

Kihyun shakes his head. There's a small pout that's carried on his lips. "I've never really tried many snacks despite having a big sweet tooth. I eat more softer sweets like cake and cookies. I’ve never eaten chips or anything except for the ones that were invented in 1853.”

"Damn. I'm almost jealous that you got to experience the first potato chip." 

"They were made by accident funny enough. So, little history lesson," Kihyun takes off the jacket now that he has Changkyun's ears, or more like his eyes that are staring at his chest. "The restaurant was selling french fries and the customer wanted them thinner, and George Crum, an African American man, cooked them over and over until he made them too thin hoping to annoy the customer, but instead the customer liked them. The downside is schools won't teach you what Blacks invented and mostly has all sorts of things white people did. I hope that changes." There's a far away look in his eyes; hopeful. "People can be so racist, I bet they don't also know many of these inventions around us aren't just made by the white man."

"Woah. I wish you tutored me for History 'cause I bet I would learn a lot more than I would from another teacher." Changkyun is intrigued. He wants to learn more. "And now that you mention it, that is true. Well, maybe you can make that difference." 

"I'm not  _ that  _ powerful. I may be powerful but that's more physically." Kihyun hands over the Cheeto jacket, already wanting to make a run towards the exit. "If we go and eat now, I can try and tell you some more historical things as we sit and talk."

"That sounds…"  _ Really fucking sexy.  _ He wouldn't mind that at all. "Alright, I'm down."

Changkyun pushes Kihyun back into the fitting room, letting him change back into what he was originally wearing. It gives enough time to finally count how much Wonho gave. Once the amount hit past a hundred and fifty bucks, Changkyun couldn't help but show the shock on his face.

Maybe Kihyun should dye his hair with this amount of cash. But as tempting as it sounded, clothes were the bigger picture here.  _ Okay, Kihyun in red hair though; Changkyun can just imagine the look.  _

Stepping outside and fixing the turtleneck to his liking, Kihyun feels perfect in his own skin again. He exhales a bit of relief as he wraps his arms around himself rubbing his sides. This warm feeling makes Kihyun feel soft. Safe under the comfort of his turtleneck. That and donuts.

Once Kihyun hands over the rest of the clothes to Changkyun, everything gets paid for. Here's to hoping Kihyun actually makes the effort and wears less turtlenecks. Cheers.

For the amount of items bought, it was surprisingly inexpensive. Wonho isn’t expecting all the cash to be spent, right?

"Finally!" Kihyun exclaims, holding his head for a few seconds. "That was torture, but I'm thankful you didn't force me to try every shirt on your arms." 

"If I did, I don't think you would ever want to shop with me again."

"That's how I feel right now, what do you mean." 

_ Cruel.  _

“I feel like because you can’t bite me, you feed off of my sanity for your amusement.” Changkyun frowns, heading over to the exit. Kihyun can’t hold in his mischievous smile.

“Glad to know it’s working.” Kihyun sniffs the air followed by a heavy exhale that leaves his lips before Changkyun has a chance to retort anything. "Oh heavens, what is that delicious smell and it's not even donuts how shocking."

_ Too fast. Slow down on the conversation, Kihyun.  _

"Are you hungry? There's a food court just up ahead with different kinds of food." Changkyun fixes his footing and pace to catch up with Kihyun. Not only was the conversation moving fast, but also his legs. 

"Depends what they got." 

"Are you on a  _ special diet _ when it comes to food?" Changkyun leans into Kihyun's space bubble as they reach the back of the line and whispers, making it seem like he's trying to get a good view of the menu. "Oh, should I tell them to take out any garlic?"

"No! I love garlic! Especially garlic bread. Mm, so tasty. Oh, I hope there is garlic bread because I want some of that now."

"Each piece of information you give me about yourself keeps making me question more and more and drawing me further away from televised media." If Changkyun recalls, vampires hate garlic, it keeps them away. Kihyun however, sounds like he's going to have a big meltdown if they don't have some.

“The media loves to lie. I'll tell you that much. Some of the things they projected are correct but most of them are wrong.”

“That or you’re actually an alien.” 

Kihyun lifts his arm up towards the menu that hangs above the cashier's head. He extends his index finger out and—

“Ding.” Silence. “Is my finger glowing yet?”

_ An E.T reference, are you serious?  _ Changkyun’s sanity has gone in the negatives. 

“I’m gonna wig out.” 

“Pfft.” Kihyun laughs, so much so that eye dimples that haven’t been noticed before say hello.  _ Changkyun, stop it. Don’t say the C word again _ . “Oh come on, that was pretty funny. It’s not like yours are any better.”

“I would have you know that my jokes are state-of-the-art museum experience. You’ll laugh, you might even shed a tear or two. Besides, I see you laugh so don't you try to lie to me."

“Mm, more or less.” 

With the roll of his eyes, Changkyun focuses his attention back to the menu. Garlic bread is the only thing on his mind right now after the mention of it. How warm and crunchy the bread is, and the fluffiness of the inside. The garlic taste isn’t too strong as it’s balanced with either butter or oil depending on how it’s cooked. 

A lily white handkerchief is shoved in front of Changkyun's face as daydreaming about garlic bread fades away.

"You started to drool like a dog. I didn't think people would be so focused that they physically drool."

"Sorry." Changkyun snatches the cloth to wipe his face. "This is clean though right?"

"Of course it is. I don't go walking around with dirty handkerchiefs, that's disgusting." Kihyun moves up in the line, placing a hand gently on Changkyun's back to move him forward.  _ Woah. _ "They have pizza. I don't recall ever having pizza. If I did, I probably don't remember it."

"Are you for real?"

"What?”

“I can’t believe what you’re saying. Pizza is treated like it’s food from the Gods; it’s that great tasting; depending where you get it of course.” Changkyun begins to hand Kihyun back his handkerchief but stops. He’ll just keep it and wash it when he gets home. Tucking it in his pocket and stealing a glance at Kihyun, it’s safely put away without any exchange about it.

Kihyun glances back once Changkyun turns his attention back to the menu and expresses a questioning grin.

"How much garlic bread is too much garlic bread?"

“That’s a pretty random question. I guess too much would be an amount that you’re unable to eat?”

“So I can eat ten?”

_ T-ten?!  _ “Can you eat ten?”

There’s a little more thought brought into the conversation. “Yeah! I can.” Kihyun’s beams.

“Then I guess go for it.” 

Who would have ever thought garlic bread would make a vampire happy. Changkyun swears he has to be alien with fangs, he just has to be. 

Once Kihyun orders his mountain of garlic bread with spaghetti, and Changkyun decides to stick with a sandwich, they sit down at a table. All that Changkyun wishes for now is to not be seen outside of school. It’s odd to see classmates anywhere else but school doing human activities. It’s like seeing a turtle out of its shell.

Changkyun watches as Kihyun spins a piece of spaghetti and sniffs it. He takes one bite and doesn't even swallow it, spitting into a nearby napkin. 

"Kihyun, this is a mall not a fancy restaurant." 

"Well, that's disappointing." Kihyun takes a bite of garlic bread and like a light switch, his eyes light up. "Now this is what I call food. Or, well, at least something edible."

As Changkyun opens his mouth, Kihyun chews another piece of garlic bread and clutches his chest. He's in a state of euphoria as Kihyun stuffs his cheeks, not bothering to swallow. Now he really looks like a squirrel packing peanuts in his cheeks for winter. 

"Hey, hey." Changkyun waves his hand. "Try not to choke with the way you're shoveling it."

“So," Kihyun composes himself." What would you like to know about history?” 

“Actually,” Changkyun interjects. “I would like to know about you more. The history that you’ve experienced." He ponders knowing Kihyunis older, way older. "What have you lived through like did you see pangaea or the first cell being created?"

Kihyun doesn’t look amused; dejected at the comment. He faces twists into confusion. 

“And here I was excited to tell you about some amazing things, but fine, I guess you deserve that.”  _ Deserve? Is Changkyun a dog?  _ “Just talk quietly because I don’t want anyone listening. So, ask away.”

“Really? I can ask like, anything, anything?”

“Anything, and anything.” 

“Are you sure anything?”

“Changkyun.”

“Okay, okay,” Changkyun has so much to ask they might be at the mall until closing. “Can I ask how old you are?”

“I’m a hundred and forty-four, but twenty-five in human years; I was born in 1841.”

“Holy shit!” A few customers turn towards their table, some giving foul looks for the equally foul language. Yikes. How embarrassing. Looking across from him, Kihyun shows the same humiliation considering how he’s using his turtleneck to cover his face.  _ Actually, that’s drawing more attention to them.  _

Changkyun takes a bite from his food, waiting a while before he asks his next question. For the meantime, he thinks about the answer that was given to him. What would happen if he lived that long? He can’t even fathom never seeing his friends and family ever again. 

Though, Changkyun doesn’t want to get too personal, he’s seen the look on Kihyun’s face multiple times, and it’s not a good look. 

“I see,” Changkyun gapes and says without much thought. It catches Kihyun’s attention for the conversation to start rolling again. “Did you meet the dinosaurs? Did you get to ride on one of them?”

Kihyun's expression is a mixture of shock, confusion and disbelief. How one eyebrow was higher than the other, eyes wide and lips in a thin line. It was such a sight to see. 

“No. I was born when John Tyler became the tenth President of the United States after President William Henry died. The dinosaurs were way before my time, you know that.” 

“Amazing. So, you like, saw Jesus get birthed? Got yourself painted in The Last Supper? I bet that was really cool.” 

"What?"

Changkyun gets all giddy at Kihyun's reaction to his questions. 

"Were you there when Jamestown was founded? I'm so curious about your time period. " 

Kihyun squints. “That's— Fuck off.”

At this point, Kihyun knows Changkyun is just messing around with him. He's never interacted with a human in such a way. Wonho comes in close, but not quite, although similar. 

“Did you start the black plague?” At this point, Changkyun isn’t able to hold back his creeping smile. 

“Why are you purposefully asking questions in time periods I wasn't alive in? Other than it being for your amusement.” 

“Exactly. It is for my amusement.” Changkyun takes a sip of his drink. “It’s not everyday I get to chat with a… you know.”

Kihyun exhales through his nose, brushing the hair out of his face. He never thought he could age fast and normal again, but this might be the thing that does it. His brain feels like it’s running a mile a minute. “Changkyun. It practically is everyday that we chat.”

“Oh come on, we’re just having a little fun.”

“Yeah,  _ we’re. _ ”

Sassy. Changkyun loves it. 

“How many events in history have you been through? You’ve seen a lot I’m pretty sure.”

“Oh, a real question, finally.” Kihyun regards, folding his hands with a smile. “And of course I have. From the SS Great Britain being launched, seen wars to states declaring independence and to The Great Depression. I could go on with all the shit I’ve seen.” He manages to keep his voice low, leaning in. “Then you’re here in this era where kids have play guns that shoot out from their belt and blow their dicks off when they thrust forward.”

Changkyun laughs a little too loud, covering his mouth. Ah yes, when the 50s had those belt guns that shot out small pellets, and made an exploding sound. It doesn't look too manly when you thrust forward to only have the gun burn your dick off.

"I wasn't expecting us to go that route, nor did I think you knew about that." Changkyun takes a drink of his soda, sucking in air after five seconds. "I got frightened with the Cabbage Patch dolls that would eat play food. After a while they started eating kids’ fingers and hair, and you can probably guess what happened with that toy.”

"I never saw that one, but it sounds terrifying. Besides those dolls always scared me anyways."

"Were you born in Transylvania?"

"Changkyun." Kihyun warns.

"What? It's an actual place in Romania, not like it's make believe." Changkyun huffs, crossing his arms. "You seem so elegant and the way you present yourself is so different."

"I was born in Europe; Italy to be exact. But, Romania is a southeastern European country, though I wasn't born there. A lot of  _ them _ were born in different parts of Europe, then we spread out and created more in other countries." 

Changkyun was impressed, fascinated by everything Kihyun expressed and revealed about himself. But how did the first vampire come about? Was it evolution? Mutation? An animal attack?  _ No. Couldn’t be an animal attack.  _ Bat attack?  _ No, no _ . What was the  _ first _ vampire? 

"Seems like you have a lot on your mind. Confused about something?" 

Taking a bite of his garlic bread, Kihyun leans back into his chair. His eyes are fixed on Changkyun, waiting. There’s a faltering that is detected. It’s unclear what Changkyun wants to ask and what he should ask. Once again, after being pummeled with information, the questions will never halt. 

There's a slight break within the conversation. Taking their time to sip whatever is left of their drinks as Changkyun tries to find more questions to rile up Kihyun. 

Changkyun opens his mouth, only to be cut by the sullen look on Kihyun's face. A dark shadow has casted over his face as he pokes his side salad. There's no more eye contact, no more words, and just the other people conversing and music playing in the background. 

How could the mood shift so low and sudden? That's when Changkyun hears over everyone's chatter.  _ The music.  _

_ "I'm only human." _

_ "Of flesh and blood I'm made." _

_ "Human." _

A song by The Human League; one that expresses a guilt of cheating on someone, but for Kihyun, those three lonely lines must feel like it's mocking him. Despite the meaning of the song, it's enough to quiet Kihyun and turn the conversation a little sour. Just the word  _ human  _ puts him in a shutdown state. 

The question dies on Changkyun's tongue, and it tastes bitter. Now wouldn't be the time for a smart remark or anything to tease Kihyun; it wouldn't be right. 

So, Changkyun tries to lighten up the mood. Keyword:  _ tries. _

"Did you know it's the influence of Bram Stoker's novel  _ Dracula  _ where vampires gained their popularity _ ,  _ even though there was Vlad the Impaler, who was actually named Vlad Dracula. He was known for his favorite way of killing people by impaling with wooden stakes? Crazy, right?"

"Are you trying to impress a vampire with vampire history? I highly doubt they teach you that in school."

_ Damn. Kihyun got him there.  _

"Describe impress."

Kihyun laughs.  _ He. Laughs!  _ Mission accomplished if you ask Changkyun. 

There's a satisfying feeling that pools and settles comfortably within his stomach whenever he gets Kihyun to leave the sad look on his face. It might be easier than it seems to lighten up the mood, and so far, it hasn't taken up much effort.

Changkyun wants to tell Kihyun that despite what he is, he still is made of flesh and blood. He's not human, but does have human qualities within him. 

_ Topics. Think of some topics.  _

The music in the background is still playing and it feels like forever since it had started. Changkyun feels fidgety, a little restless as he watches Kihyun play with a french fry. The action makes him also want to use his hands to busy himself. No. He needs to refrain and focus. 

"Oh, you're so cute I could honestly just eat you up." Changkyun swears he didn't say that. 

Looking up from where they're both seated, he is met with a pretty brunette girl beside a blonde girl. 

"Excuse me?" Kihyun wrinkled his nose and tilted his head. 

"You. Mr. Turtleneck. You're so cute that I wouldn't hesitate to eat you. Just look at those cheeks."

"Wendy, that's vore." Her friend (Changkyun gueses) laughs, a little embarrassed by how forward Wendy seems to be.

Kihyun, who has been gaping ever since the two girls arrived, is at a lost for words. Totally coming from left field and unsure whether to be thankful or really, really confused. 

"Uhm– thank you, I guess." Kihyun touches his cheek then scratches the bridge of his nose and the back of his ears. "You're pretty glam yourself."

Changkyun chokes on his laughter. It's too funny to see how this plays out, so he decides not to jump into the conversation. 

"Haha, funny and cute." The look in her eyes just scream vore. Wendy almost looks like she's about to comment how much she wants to eat Kihyun again.

But before any other words are spoken, the pair say their goodbyes without leaving a phone number surprisingly. If not for that, the whole encounter was entertaining. 

"Was she a vampire 'cause she did not hesitate one bit about how much she wanted to bite you." 

Kihyun pouts, shaking his head. "I honestly never had that happen to me before but that was an interesting encounter let's say." He leans in, whispering. "Do humans say that a lot?" 

"Hm, I think you got hit on. Congrats!!"

"I don't think know how to feel about that encounter to be honest but, sorry, what were we talking about again? That completely caught me off guard." The way Kihyun's ears are pink and the sheepish, jumbled mess he has become. 

How the conversation gained back its fuel is amusing. It helped Changkyun finally take control of the car again.

"Ah, well, it's probably not my place to ask, but is Wonho a vampire?" 

"No, but he isn't a human either. He's a ghoul."

"Like a ghost ghoul? Or like what does that really mean?" It further solidifies their previous talk about other monsters being a reality. There indeed was a lot more that the world has not known about, and it's right in their faces. 

Kihyun shakes his head. "Ghouls are demon-like beings which originated in pre-Islamic Arabian religion. They're seen as monsterous humanoids that are associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh." 

"Like a zombie?"

"They both do eat flesh, but no. Ghouls are demon-like creatures while zombies are undead corpses. That's the difference."

"So then…"

Kihyun knows what Changkyun is going to ask, and he shakes his head. 

"Nope. Probably not for a long time. There's probably drugs that could make you act like a zombie, but personally I don't think there are any around." 

"Oh thank god." Changkyun breathes out and holds his chest. "I wouldn't want to deal with an outbreak. No offense, but I would have you be my shield and fighting off the zombies." 

There's a smile that makes an appearance once more on Kihyun's race. 

_ The song changes. Take On Me by A-ha. Finally.  _

"Speaking of Wonho, if he isn't happy after this, then I'm going to clock him on the head." Kihyun murmurs, twirling some spaghetti on his fork. "I might have to fight him when I get home."

"Pro tip. Go for the kneecaps."

Kihyun snorts.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kihyun got his hopes up too soon sadly once they had finished eating. For a plan of going home straight had soon turned into another shop for clothes at a few other stores. More shirts that exposed the neck and for some reason skinny jeans. 

Walking in the sun was physically draining especially for such a long period of time. Drinks or cold foods didn't help at all and Kihyun couldn't see in front of him anymore. The way his view split into multiple copies and blurred each of the lines. 

He stumbled slightly, holding his head as he tried to balance himself as he stood still. His head throbbed and panted; a sharp squeeze that made it even hard to think coherently. 

"Woah, Kihyun, what's wrong?" Changkyun backs up a little to give some air, but a safe distance enough to catch Kihyun if he collapses. 

"Can we stop? We need to stop." 

Kihyun looks pale, head hanging with eyes trained to the floor and unfocused. His body sways slightly, opening his mouth only to exhale. It's worrying. Changkyun quickly moves closer to his side, arms out and ready to catch him as he sways more than a swing.

"Is everything alright?"  _ Dumb question.  _ "Were you not supposed to eat something?" Shake of the head.  _ No.  _ "Are you sick?" Again.  _ No.  _

"Sit." Kihyun manages to get out. His mouth feels like a drought. "Shade."

_ Sit and shade; got it.  _

He quickly moves Kihyun under a shaded tree, wondering if he's having some type of heat stroke. There's no water around except the fountains that are too far in reach. Maybe something wet or some cool hands could help even a little bit. 

Before Changkyun even thinks about getting up, Kihyun grabs his jacket sleeve and pulls him closer to sit down. 

"No. Stay." Kihyun's grip tightens on Changkyun's shoulders. His body feels hot; all of his weight on Changkyun slumped over. Licking his lips, Kihyun slowly speaks. “The sun is still a weakness despite being able to go under it. If we’re outside for too long it’ll become draining and we start to get light headed.”

With eyes closed, Kihyun nestles himself into Changkyun's neck with ease but doesn’t attempt to try anything (surprisingly). It was like some sort of warped dimension that swirled like a mixer. 

Kihyun feels the world around him spin at an incredible pace and as if his heart stopped. It had been so long since he walked outside in the sun for more than an hour; it was a record. 

"Is everything alright? Did you want to go home or are you going to pass out on me?"

Kihyun shakes his head. "Water. Can I have some water?" 

"Okay, but you'll need to let me go. Can you do that?" 

Steadily, Kihyun lifts his head and nods, pulling away as his hands slide down to his sides. He looks like a kicked puppy. Sad eyes that look close to watering and the pout that comes and gos. Kihyun's sight trained on the floor not about to speak another word. Once Changkyun was a few steps away seeing Kihyun wouldnt move, he bolted to get some water. 

Running back inside with a time limit of hurry the hell up, he dashes back to the food court for some water. Ice cold water and peppermint in case Kihyun faints. Changkyun hopes peppermint can work on a vampire who is about to faint, he doesn't know all the details. 

Outside, Kihyun maneuvers himself against the tree trunk and looks in the direction of where Changkyyn ran off.  _ Great.  _ He thanks his hundred-plus years that it's sunny and he won't be attacked by another vampire. He's in such a vulnerable spot Kihyun would be dead in less than a second.

He ponders about today; happy to get his mind off of what usually bothers him but in the same way, he is reminded. The idea of him trying to act like a human is pointless. Everyday Kihyun can't get away from what he is, and he never will. His life is changed forever. 

Through his reflection, his blood urges, or under the sun like what he was avoiding at moment; he's always a vampire. 

Not too long later, Changkyun runs towards Kihyun with a cup of water. 

"Alright, I'm back. Here you are." 

"Ouch!" 

The straw stabs Kihyun close to his eye and his hand comes up to try and soothe the area. Changkyun freaks. 

"Crap, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that." Changkyun moves to take out the straw and top. "Here, drink this."

Kihyun takes a large gulp of water and hangs his head low back on Changkyun's shoulder. It's comfortable for the time being and he stays there until his head stops spinning. 

"I just want to go home at this point." Kihyun begins to stand with Changkyun still clinging on to be a support pillar. 

"Can you fling, fickle, fiddle?" 

Kihyun hoarsely laughs. "Flit, you mean."

"Yes, yes, that magical power you have." Changkyun tries his best to keep Kihyun in good spirits with his humor. 

"Sadly not in this condition. Can I hop on your back?" 

"No can do, mister. My job wasn't to be your transportation too." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It wasn't until a few hours later after dropping Kihyun back at his house was when Minhyuk phoned Changkyun’s landline to meet up and study. Gradually, it turned into a discussion about a small fight he and Jooheon had prior to Changkyun’s visit. Walking outside made the pair talk freely as Minhyuk voiced his feelings. Changkyun mostly listened for support and lend his ear for the next few hours. 

Walking at night had become Changkyun's least favorite thing now. Something he genuinely enjoyed had now become a thing he despised. Nightly walks ruined in the span of less than a week leading to avoiding trying to go outside when the black skies come to make an appearance. It gives Changkyun's shivers. 

“Hey. Thanks for coming out so late. I’m not in such a good mood right now and needed someone to talk with.” 

"It's no worries man." Changkyun this time around brought mittens to keep his hands warm. Minhyuk however wasn't so lucky. "I'm sure Jooheon didn't mean what he said. He isn't a type to hold a grudge." 

Minhyuk gives a small nod and looks at his feet. His steps purposely missing the cracks in the side walk as he speaks.

"I only wished to have not let him go, ya know. I shouldn't have let him stayed and chat it out." He holds his head. "Gosh, what was I thinking."

"Hey man, don't beat yourself up. Don't say shouldn't because that's in the past now and you can't reverse. What you can do is to think about the now and what you  _ can  _ do." 

"That's—" Minhyuk sighs, scratching his head. It was so frustrating. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. I should focus more on that instead of pondering what I should have done." 

Changkyun rigidly shuffles next to Minhyuk to pat him on the shoulder. What had been said could mostly have been heat of the moment sentences. 

"Why don't you call him in the morning tomorrow. It'll be the first thing you do. Actually, the third, considering the first thing is wake up and then walk down stairs to the phone." 

It makes Minhyuk smile and Changkyun thinks that's his new talent. The more he talks, the more people start to smile. It feels good. 

"That's a nice idea. I'll most likely think about what happened then lay out all my sins on the table."

"Not really what I had expected for you to say, but yeah that's the spirit." 

Looking up at the sky made Changkyun look back. It was getting later and they both had to go their separate ways somehow. Changkyun would call Kihyun's home phone, but Wonho never gave him his number. Still. 

He couldn't tell Minhyuk to talk over the phone only because he would still come over (and Minhyuk would be still walking alone at night). Changkyun wonders what he could do to have Kihyun come to him in situations like this.

"Well, I should probably get going. I would have you stay over but my parents won't approve cause it's late notice."

_ There goes that plan.  _

"That's alright." Changkyun smiles. He can't tell Minhyuk what's been going on; he wouldn't want to worry his friends. "I'll be fine going back, it's cool."  _ No he won't and Changkyun knows.  _

"Cool, dude. But just in case here." 

Minhyuk looks around before grabbing Changkyun's hand.

"Oh my god, are you going to confess your feelings to me?"

"Pfft. Yeah right." Minhyuk reaches in his pocket to place a pocket knife in Changkyun's hand. It's for close contact and a last resort solution. He hopes he doesn't have to use it, especially on a vampire. If he can see the end of today, he needs to ask what their weakness is for protection. "Use this in case some creepo is trying to kill you. There's still that killer they haven't caught yet so be careful alright. I don't want to lose my buddy."

"Thanks. If worse comes to worse I'll probably show him ass and maybe he'll run away."

Minhyuk throws his head back laughing. "Highly doubt that bud, I wouldn't risk it." He walks away, already turning his back and waving. "Be safe Changkyun seriously or else I'll beat you up."

"Oh wow like that makes any difference."

Changkyun pockets the pocket knife (cause it belongs there), and walks in the direction of his home. He could cut his hand open, however it could attract other vampires, but the quickness in which Kihyun came had Changkyun conflicted. 

Great, just great. 

Why had the universe make Changkyun run through the same event he had experienced not too long ago. It was as if life couldn't leave him be or have one calm day. Half of his days weren't necessarily leisurely, but once the vampires came and popped up like the rising dead, Changkyun's life was now like a rundown ride at the state fair. 

And if his luck couldn't get worse,a scream breaks the eardrums of Changkyun. It's full of pain and despair, gasping for air to enter the lungs, filling the empty streets of the night with it's agony.

The cries split through the air, so ear piercing that whatever lies in its space could most likely have not ignored that. Hell, Minhyuk should have heard it considering they only parted not long ago. For one, the neighbors had to have woken up; there was no excuse not to have slept through such a sound. 

It sounded close by, maybe even in one of the near bushes from how loud it sounded, but the source could be anywhere, even further than what it may be. 

A cold, shaken breath releases from Changkyun that comes from his core as it brings back the unpleasant memories when he first met Kihyun and his  _ abilities.  _ There's a queasy and unsettled knot deep within his stomach, tightening when the next thing he hears is a thump. He honestly waited for something to happen. This time he knew it wouldn't be a nice walk in the park. 

With the rustling of leaves, it makes Changkyun's brain halt in his place like a dumb protagonist in a horror movie. It's like his feet have embedded themselves into concrete, cased inside. Choosing fight over flight, Changkyun reaches into his jacket for the pocket knife that's hidden inside.  _ Thank you Minhyuk.  _

This time he isn't afraid. His legs might be buckling but no, he isn't going down without a fight. Running away could turn worse considering he isn't sure what lurks behind the bushes.

"It's only me."

_ That voice... _

"Kihyun?"

Changkyun knew it. In truthfulness, he didn't know, yet something told him who it was. It was the first thought in his mind. 

There's a small sigh from the shadows admitting defeat, almost inaudible. He steps away from the darkness and out into the dimly lit street, his dress shoes clicking against the pavement that is slower paced than Changkyun's rapid heart. Once Kihyun reveals himself, there's a loud gasp that doesn't hold back. 

Blood is spattered against Kihyun's coat. It's not a lot, but the sight makes Changkyun visibly shake. Even if he tried to make the excuse of it being a cold night, tonight was strangely warm. The fear couldn't hide itself this time. 

_ Just what in the world happened behind those bushes? Never mind. Changkyun doesn't want to know.  _

"The blood on you. That was another vampire, right?"

The crickets sing. Changkyun knows the answer, but he hopes for something different. It's evident when Kihyun doesn't respond and looks away. 

_ It was a human. _

"Why is it in times like this you start coming ou0t and witnessing things you shouldn't. What are you doing out here? It's late and dangerous." 

"I could say the same to you." Changkyun speaks up. "It's pretty late don't you think."

Kihyun doesn't reply to the comment, though his eyes trail down to where Changkyun's left hand lies in his bomber jacket. It clenches a few times as if whatever he is holding adjusts the grip in nervousness. Though, he doesn't need to see it to know that it's a knife of some sorts.

Looking up at Changkyun's face, Kihyun tilts his head as he crosses his arms. 

"It seems as if you can't learn a lesson seeing this is your third time walking home alone at night. When I mean it's dangerous, I really mean it."

Changkyun is taken aback. Where is this defensive behavior coming from and this pent up anger. The irritation doesn't go unnoticed, but that doesn't stop Changkyun from throwing questions to Kihyun.

"I thought you said you wouldn't try to bite another human. What happened to the conversation we had earlier? Didn't you say you wish to keep relationships and the human quality about yourself?"

Kihyun raises his voice when he turns in Changkyun's direction. It's as if the vibrant red eyes began to glow more.

"Don't you get it?" The tone in his voice is seething in anger to the point where it almost cracks and breaks. "I. Am. A. Vampire. I drink blood to help me stay alive and for me to stay strong against other vampires. If I didn't need it, don't you think I wouldn't be here right now for a feeding."

Each step Kihyun takes makes Changkyun step back until he hits a crack in the pavement that almost loses his footing. He stops a little before he's too far in the street; not that anyone would be driving this time of night. 

"But, I thought you said vampires can go about a month without drinking blood. So then why—" 

Kihyun sighs. "Ever heard of cravings?" He doesn't wait for a reply as he speaks up, voice strained and tough. It felt as if Changkyun was being scolded. "I have cravings like everyone else. Even if going about a week without blood can be damaging for our health. Can't you see there's nothing I can really do. It's my instinct."

As much as Changkyun doesn't want to believe it, he can't argue with a vampire. Kihyun knows his body and himself more than anyone else, and Changkyun feels like he's built another wall between them. 

He has to remind himself that they're different. But in his eyes, all he sees is a…

"...Monster."

The small word slips from Changkyun's lips but to Kihyun, the way his eyes open shows how big of a word it actually is. Kihyun sucks in his lips and nods his head, stepping back. How long had it been since he heard that word. A word that should be banned from dictionaries and not be spoken. 

Monster was such an ugly word for an ugly being. It made sense, but it hurt. Kihyun did see himself as one, but maybe he still hadn't come into terms with it yet. He wasn't human either, so there had to be another word that was less painful. 

It was Kihyun's nature, one that wasn't pretty or a good feeling outcome.

And Changkyun doesn't want to see other people getting hurt or bitten. While Changkyun stands alive and well for not spilling the beans, many others died as to not tell and spread the truth about Kihyun.

_ An idea arises.  _

It could work considering that Changkyun is the only human who knows Kihyun's secret. But, he's going to need some more answers in order to convince himself of this idea. He doesn't want to dig his own grave,  _ literally.  _

"How does one turn into a vampire?"

"I'd have to exchange blood with you. Unlike the movies, I don't have to drain your blood to the point of death. My blood would be injected into you. I'd still bite you, but I wouldn't be sucking blood out of you."

_ Okay. Sort of scary. No, that's really scary!  _

Kihyun speaks up again. "I guess to dumb it down would be: sucking is for drinking, and injecting is for turning."

And then Changkyun thinks.  _ Hard.  _

Despite the gnawing uncertainty of the risk factor, Changkyun trusts Kihyun to a certain limit. He's been a vampire since, well, he doesn't remember, but Changkyun is sure he knows the difference between injecting and sucking someone. 

_ He better know or else Changkyun is about to haunt Kihyun the rest of his next hundred years.  _

But Kihyun said he'll have urges; cravings. Will Kihyun one day snap and attack? 

Okay, maybe Changkyun really doesn't trust all that great considering how long it's taking him to think. But it's scary. He's practically giving up his own body for Kihyun to drink on which takes a lot within him to decide. 

Sucking in breath and hopefully not his last, he comes to a decision. 

"Then, I'll do it." Changkyun offers.

"What?" 

There's a look of confusion that appears on Kihyun's face. A mix of shock, and uncertainty.

"I said, I'll do it. I'll be the one you can feed off of." 


	4. Tip of the Iceberg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the big challenge finishing, there is more to come and they already began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After so long and the move, this is back up!!! I'll be working on the next chapter soon so I plan to try and update at a scheduled pace!! It'll make feel better too Hehe!
> 
> It took longer because I to rewrite the whole story and the process of making sure I had no more typos took like three days haha. If there is typo then, sigh :")
> 
> Don't forget to use the tag on Twitter #AfterDarkAO3 if there's a part you like or want to give feedback there!! And thank you for any comments on this chapter!! I hope you like the story as I've changed it and could be longer!!!

Time feels stilled when Wonho sits on the couch watching the television, though his eyes are trained elsewhere. It's been about two hours since Kihyun left the house and he looks towards the door worryingly. Usually, Kihyun's feeding takes an hour at the most, considering it was a quick bite and he wasn't planning to bring anyone back home. The show on the cable television box had been ignored and Wonho wasn't planning to pay attention at this point or any time soon. Freshly deviled eggs sat on the table in front of him, one eaten while the others remained untouched. 

The clock still ticks, and it makes Wonho itch as seconds pass. It was bizarre. Kihyun hadn't mentioned any other vampires he'd encountered and never brought up any conflicts which was a good thing, but also was a bad thing too. Wonho wouldn't know if Kihyun happened to be in danger then too. Kihyun was strong, he could handle himself and was now able to fight and probably could hurt Wonho if he tried (of course, that wouldn't happen). Though, what if something  _ did  _ happen? Something out of Kihyun's control. 

Wonho switches off the television, knowing that at the rate he is going, there was no way he would be finishing it soon. He contemplates as he looks towards the door. The doorknob doesn't jiggle, the doorbell doesn't ring, and the porch light hasn't turned on. So he waits. A minute or two in case Kihyun comes through the door. The more he waits, the more silent it's becoming, almost hearing the possible spiders in the house crawl. 

_ Okay. He's going out.  _ Kihyun is strong as he is. Wonho is going to shed a little support if needed. 

He grabs a coat jacket from the rack and puts it on, fixing his collar. Already in his shoes, Wonho fixes his socks from sliding and opens the door. Standing on the other side is Kihyun with his hand out to reach for the knob. His eyes reveal they are wet as they glisten from the porch light, puffy and red. The tip of his nose is slightly pink. Wonho doesn't get to say anything as Kihyun walks inside and brushes past him, up the stairs in a brisk fashion with his head looking down. He shoves his hands back into his pockets and doesn't explain anything, leaving Wonho at the entrance as he lets the cold inside. 

Wonho calls out Kihyun's name and receives a response of the door slamming shut with the force of almost exploding the hinges off.  _ Such a child.  _ It's rude to think Kihyun's actions are childish, but in truth, it's not the first time he's acted as such. Though that's beside the point and the most important thing is that he's safe; it makes Wonho heave a sigh of relief. He removes his coat and puts it back in the place he retrieved it from and makes his way up the stairs, steadily and faintly. Wonho knows Kihyun can hear and sense him, but he wants him to know that he isn't a threat and is there to communicate. 

Face to face with the door, Wonho gently raps against the wood. No response. He repeats, hearing a faint annoyance on the other side. A groan and something hitting the door. At this, Wonho sees it's his time to speak up. 

"Kihyun, may I come inside?" Wonho doesn't want to ask if Kihyun is alright when clearly he isn't. What he needs most right now is comfort and support. Calmly, he opens the door and finds Kihyun curled into a ball on his bed. No blankets over him to hide himself, and his shoulders shake. Wonho knows this position. By his feet is one of the pillows, most likely was the object that hit the door. Picking it up, he makes his way towards the bed and sits, placing a hand on his back. "Would you like to tell me what happened?" 

Kihyun shakes his head in disagreement. He clutches at the pillows that bury his face. An arm comes around to wipe his face but he still hides in the mountain of pillows. Wonho pulls out a pale peach colored handkerchief towards Kihyun's way who takes it mutely. He doesn't push Kihyun into talking, it's happened before in the past and it's a road to not go down through. He continues to soothe him by petting his back and patting his head. It's his favorite thing. 

"A lot." Kihyun murmured. He didn't wish to elaborate, but he didn't want to keep it within him. 

"Is there a way for me to help you in some sort of way?" Wonho soothes Kihyun's back even as he changes position. When Kihyun shows his face, his nose is red and wet, his eyes sharing the same look. His eyes sparkle sadly in the light as he wipes his dripping face with the handkerchief.

"Changkyun has been… a lot. It's the first human I've had contact with that wasn't afraid of me but also is at the same time." Kihyun folds the handkerchief to a side that hasn't been used before. "I haven't felt so many emotions at one before like this." He curls up to Wonho and clutches his shirt. The grip is so weak, it shakes slightly. "He called me a monster a few minutes ago. I dropped him off because he was walking outside at this hour and we got into a small altercation."

"He saw you feeding?"

Kihyun shook his head. "Not exactly. He was there but I don't think he physically saw me feeding." Kihyun wipes his nose again. "I feel like I can't do anything right. Everytime I try to survive I have to be cautious of what I do."

"Remember what I told you years and years ago." Kihyun nods, playing with the buttons on his coat. "I know it hurts Kihyun, but I want you to know that you're still you. Just because you're a vampire you still haven't changed all that much. You're still the lovable friend I cherish." 

"But it's hard Wonho. It's hard." Kihyun moves the turtleneck up to hide part of his face. He stretches his sleeves over his hands to cover his face until it's a black wall. "What did I do to deserve this life? This must be my punishment."

Wonho glooms at the sight. He hates seeing Kihyun like this. No matter how many years they were together, he never gets used to the scene. "Nothing." Wonho insisted. "The only thing you deserve is the world." 

"Did you watch the television again? Your words are getting too weird… and sappy." Kihyun sniffs and looks up at Wonho between his sweater paws.

"I'm not lying though. And yes." 

"I know. You never do anyways." Kihyun smiles faintly, and the arm which he clutches slowly morphed to feel soft and furry. There's a small mewling sound that makes him look down. In Wonho's place stands a black cat with pretty smoky gray-blue eyes, tail swaying and soon begins to nudge into Kihyun. He clicks his tongue, scratching below the chin as the cat purrs. Wonho always knows how to make Kihyun smile. 

The sighting of cats, any kind, even hairless breeds, Kihyun loves them all. The way the purr and nudge against his hands and legs. And animals don't judge. It's a happy feeling that spreads in Kihyun's chest knowing there's one thing in the world that could still love and appreciate him. Without Wonho to support him, Kihyun thinks he'd have cats all over his house and he'd be content. 

Wonho jumps on the other side of Kihyun, and rubs his head into him some more. He knows that sometimes Kihyun doesn't need words to make him smile or feel better, but simple actions even the smallest will get him to smile. Of course, the hurt will still be there, and has been for practically his whole life. Everyday or even every other day Kihyun will never forget. His life is what's hurting him. Though, Wonho is still trying to make the effort even if it's for a little while. 

Today, he'll sit by Kihyun in his cat form and comfort him. No cool tricks or anything of the other, just there to listen. Wonho walks to stand on top of Kihyun's waist and makes himself lay down. He purrs lightly and Kihyun still pets the top of his head with a smile. In an hour, Wonho will make him some tea and treat him to some donuts. He deserves it. 

Kihyun looks out towards his side of the window and watches as the curtains to Changkyun's room are closed. He lets out a breath. There's light inside, signaling he's still awake and Kihyun ponders what Changkyun might be thinking.  _ That human is something else; in more ways than one.  _ Though tonight, he won't need to think about that. 

Wonho meows, telling Kihyun to not worry so much. And he's right. So Kihyun scratches between the black cats ears. 

  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  


_ Ugh. Feeling like shit is the worst.  _

Changkyun can't help but drag his feet to his classes the next morning as he rubs the corners of his eyes. He tries to be careful to not give himself a black eye like the last time he rubbed them too much. He resembled the Deadites from Evil Dead and hell, he might get beaten up for almost looking like a zombie; they could mistake him for one. His clothes were practically thrown on and he realized he wore the wrong pants that had been three sizes too big and he used his shoelaces as a makeshift belt. 

Last night wasn't one of his best nights, which nowadays he can't rate from a scale of one to ten how bad his nights go. They all typically fall under the same spectrum. Most nights are in the negatives and some stick inside Changkyun's mind more often than others, but last night comes in a close first compared to seeing a vampire practically liquify. He still shudders at the image that's printed into his brain. 

Stepping (more like shuffling) into the classroom he notices the distance between Jooheon and Minhyuk. On days where he has a class with both of them, they're practically glued to one desk. They both chat with another classmate, backs toward one another, not planning to turn around. Changkyun wonders if they even greeted one another. He isn't in the mood to choose between the two of them; he doesn't have time for any drama between them if they bring him further into the issue. He doesn't want to make any assumptions, but by looking at this, it seems the two haven't made up yet; so guess he made an assumption. All that Changkyun hope's for is that he won't be in a tug-of-war with the two.

Dragging his body closer to Minhyuk as being the closest to the door, Changkyun gets a glimpse at what he and the other classmate, Hyungwon, are talking about. Apparently, a new Walkman came out and both were planning to buy one later today afterschool. To listen to music anywhere and not have to worry about carrying one of those cumbersome boomboxes was a game changer. Hyungwon was considered as somewhat popular, but he never acted in such a snobby way. He was however liked by almost the whole school; he was charming.

Minhyuk looks up at Changkyun, double-takes and his eyebrows scrunch up. "Woah there, what happened to you? Test for another class?" 

Changkyun shakes his head, waving towards Hyungwon but doesn't say a word. He's too tired to talk. Hyungwon speaks up, something about homework or the time, Changkyun doesn't really hear as he drops his backpack.  _ He feels like utter shit once again. _ Minhyuk waves goodbye at Hyungwon, watching them move back to their desk with books in their hands. Changkyun feels bad for interrupting, so he only says a few words. 

"Sorry. I'm just tired. Very tired." Changkyun slumps into the confines of the school chair and lays his head on the table. He's worn out. The interaction he had last night with Kihyun was a living hell. A discomfiting walk home with no other words exchanged were the worst twenty minutes spent. They stood side by side keeping a fair distance from one another and never talked about the issue that happened. Not even Changkyun's proposition. 

Changkyun could just replay it in his head as he almost can't stomach from the recollection. He practically offered his body to Kihyun, and not in the way anyone would. Not that one should give up their body, Changkyun doesn't allow that. Except, he did in order for nobody else to be under the fangs of Kihyun. And once Changkyun offered, Kihyun said he'll think about it. That was unexpected. After that, it almost made Changkyun wish he said yes. 

_ "I'll think about it. I feel like you're acting upon the emotions of tonight. Come, I'll take you home and we'll both think about this more thoroughly, alright." _

Those were the words Kihyun had said to him last night and Changkyun can't wrap his head around it all. He didn't agree like Changkyun had expected. Ever since that small moment, it made Changkyun's decision solidify; he needed to be the one that Kihyun had to feed off from. Others in town would rest assured but of course Kihyun wasn't the only vampire. 

"Whatever happened in the span of like four hours, you and me both 'cause I'm just not feeling it bro." Minhyuk slides forward to occupy the other side of the table to lay his head on. Days could be better, a whole lot better. They're eye to eye. 

"You don't have your sunglasses and Jooheon is far from you so I figured things are still…" Changkyun trails, thinking. "In the air?"

"I think I've said too much." Minhyuk whispered despite being so close to one another. "When I mean too much, I mean it. Jooheon doesn't want to be near me now."

"Is it because you confessed?" Minhyuk nods his head. It's almost rare to see Minhyuk's face considering he usually wears his sunglasses and all his emotions are laid out on the table. There's a sigh that leaves him. "What about your parents? Did you tell them?"

Minhyuk scoffed, rolling his eyes in the process. "Like I would. My dad would kick me out and call me a slur. Probably tell me that I'm a pussy." He keeps his voice low, scared about those who might hear. "Do you think it'll come out? Me?" Minhyuk bites his bottom lip. "Joo won't tell, right?" 

"No, I don't believe that."

"It's just that– being that way is looked down upon. I have to pretend to like something I don't in order to be seen as normal. When in reality…" Minhyuk pauses, picking at a hangnail off his finger. "There isn't really such a thing as normal. It's just something society likes to pull out of its asshole. I've been hiding it for so long it sucks to pretend." 

Minhyuk's lips get sucked into his mouth, chewing on the bottom and sits up, leans back in his seat and crosses his arms. He knows Jooheon wouldn't do anything to hurt him purposely as it was a big blow to reveal such a thing. It was a big blow to Changkyun even, but he knows he still needs to stand by Minhyuk's side through it all. There's a million things going through Minhyuk's head right now, Changkyun can sense it. He wonders if Kihyun's sense skills are rubbing off on him, even just a little. 

Straightening upright, Changkyun moves to grab Minhyuk's hands who pulls away and laughs. 

"Watch out. People might get the wrong idea about us, especially Jooheon."

"Minhyuk, I know you're upset."

"I'm more than upset Changkyun. I feel like I'm going to fucking cry." Another laugh leaves Minhyuk and he doesn't pull away when Changkyun doesn't listen and holds his hands for support. He bites his lip again, not wanting to cause a scene in the class. 

"I can't believe you're not letting me hold your hand over all of this. You know I'm here for you and honestly, if they think that then let them. I'll fuck them up for you." Changkyun starts, patting the top of Minhyuk's hands. They're slightly shaking, fragile and for some reason feel so small despite his larger sized hands. There's a part in Changkyun that wants to cry alongside his friend but, he doesn't. "Yeah, I know what Jooheon said to you hurt and I hope you know you're not what he says. Hell, we're all glued to the hip we're like the Three Stooges only smarter."

Finally, Minhyuk doesn't hide a smile. It's faint as there's a tiny curl at the ends of hips lips. Changkyun smiles in return. 

"I think if we're a smarter Three Stooges then we might as well be the Three Musketeers." 

"Damn." Changkyun frowns, letting go one hand to rest his chin on. "I wanted to be Curly. He's the dumbest but he's funniest out of all three."

Minhyuk gasps. "How dare you take the best character." 

_ Good. He's smiling.  _ Changkyun wishes the look on Minhyuk's face lasts the whole day and those next to come. He doesn't want to choose between his friends, that's a no no for him but for today, he'll make the exception. There was something in the pits of Changkyun's stomach that wanted to spend a little more time with Minhyuk. Show that he cared and still would be beside him through this.

Changkyun flips Minhyuk's hands to where his palms face upward. He moves his finger around and closes his eyes. "Okay my good sir, I feel a very strong, very great and positive energy from you." Forcing his voice deeper than usual as Changkyun gives a mock palm reading to Minhyuk. "Ah yes, this bubbling energy. Contagious but very bright and lovable."

"Alright, Alright. Stop before I break into your house and just live with you. I'm starting to get ideas." Minhyuk beams and so does Changkyun, proudly. 

The chatter within the classroom fills up the break in their conversation, ears catching on words that shouldn't be heard but life was that cruel. Always at the wrong times or the occasional stumble into something you shouldn't; Changkyun knows it far too well. And it latches onto Minhyuk this very instance. He hears it. Both of them do. 

"Jooheon, would you like go out sometime and—"

"Hey, MinMin." Changkyun says, loudy which catches the attention of some around them, but not for very long. The secondary conversation that shouldn't be eavesdropped on for Minhyuk's sake. He leans closer to Minhyuk, grabbing onto his hands excitedly. "There's that new roller rink place that opened on Main Street, wanna go to it?"

"Today's…" Minhyuk starts and then sighs. "Today isn't a good day for me to be outside especially to let out energy I don't have. I feel like a hermit crab and want to stay in the shell of my house." 

"Then my place tomorrow! We can go on my Game Boy or tear the heads off of dolls. Anything you want to do." Changkyun's grip on his hands tightened slightly. He doesn't know why he is so insistent but Changkyun wants Minhyuk to not dwell on the matter so much. Any sort of negative or destructive thinking has to be wiped away. 

Minhyuk stares into Changkyun's face. It was almost as if he wasn't strangely enough. His body was there but not his mind. How still he was and lacked an answer started to make Changkyun almost sweat.  _ He really didn't seem okay.  _ Changkyun rubbed the top of Minhyuk's hand as to remind him where he was, and the sound of the school bell ringing seemed to bring him back to life. 

"Alright." Minhyuk succumbs. Changkyun feels like he can breathe again. God, does the air feel good. "I probably need something to keep my mind off of things for the time being. Thank you for looking out for me, and not thinking I'm disgusting."

Changkyun smiles. "I could never see you as such a word."

Between the classmates scattering to their respective seats, Changkyun lingers before he turns away to his seat. He knows Minhyuk will be behind him but in the moment, he feels so fat away.

  
  


Changkyun isn't sure why he's standing outside when Kihyun can practically smell him through the other side of the door. But he does because this is a big deal. He would have gathered his thoughts on the way here but what even are they when you can't even think. So, Changkyun just stands there. Kihyun is probably laughing on the other side of the door, maybe Wonho as well. 

He had all the time to think at his place and still his brain focused on too many things. Changkyun changed out his ugly clothing he had on earlier and wore fitting pants  _ with  _ a belt this time. The reason why Changkyun still brought his school bag well, he doesn't quite know why but he has it. 

Taking a deep breath, two just to be on the safe side, and he knocks on the door of Kihyun and Wonho's place. He's nervous to put it straight, clammy and sweating as he looks to the floor to make sure he didn't create a puddle. Wiping his forehead he leans to look through the window and at this, the door opens.  _ Of course it opened just when Changkyun was trying to get a peek inside. _

"Hey Wonho, hope your day has been good. I'm looking for Kihyun?"  _ Geez Changkyun, could you not make it sound like a playdate.  _

"Here." Kihyun leans into Changkyun's line of sight, sitting in what must be his  _ favorite chair _ . Surprisingly, Changkyun still remembers that conversation. His hair was down and not in his usual parted or styled back hairstyle. It was a new look on Kihyun, made him look younger and there was a fluff to it.

Wonho steps aside with an  _ interesting _ smile, letting Changkyun in and he thanks the invitation. Changkyun is going to ignore that look for now. Removing his shoes, Changkyun strides to where Kihyun sits, hands gripping his school bag. He's ready to do this. His mind was made up since yesterday, he'll bite Kihyun if he has to (for whatever reason). Not like that will solve anything knowing Kihyun can do more damage but whatever it is he'll do, Changkyun would dance like a monkey, wear a coconut bra, or lay in the mud, anything in order to have Kihyun believe him.

He's already made it this far and there's no turning back. Even if Changkyun backed out here and now after coming all this way, Kihyun could probably smell the hesitation off of him. 

"What is it?" Kihyun looks up at Changkyun. He didn't expect the company considering how later in the day it was. His fringe slightly moves along with his minimal movement of repositioning himself on the chair. Changkyun isn't sure why but it's cute. 

Kihyun's hair is moved in front of his face and has bangs for the first time that Changkyun can remember. How his hair was down and messy, but clean looking; it was not as if he had just woken up. Changkyun's eyes slowly trail to his outfit where he notices the change in attire. He had brighter colors; a yellow tee (not a turtleneck thank you!) with a cream white cardigan as the end of the sleeves were rimmed with a sandy brown checkered pattern. It was surprisingly cute for Kihyun to be wearing and for sure they didn't buy it together. Wonho must have gotten it for him. He looked pretty approachable. Changkyun celebrates some more at Kihyun's slow steps into becoming like a human. _ _

Kihyun looked softer, lighter and a little less intimidating. That is, until he speaks up. 

"Hello? Are you there?" Kihyun leans closer, peering into Changkyun's trance state bubble. 

"Oh, sorry uhm, I need to talk to you. Privately." 

Kihyun knows what this is about and slowly nods, closing his book and stands straight and tall. He grabs a glass from the table, drinking a sip, swallowing the brown substance that has a golden colored glow to it. There's a quick moment of eye contact with Wonho from across the room and Kihyun points a finger at him. It's a teasing look, a mix of curiosity but he should zip it. Kihyun's head ushers Changkyun to follow him up stairs and in this time, Changkyun takes a look around him. Gather some insight and feel for the place. 

This was the first time inside the home, he never realized how huge it was compared to his own. The less furniture made the room bigger and it was so minimalistic. It was nice but also slightly scary in a way. Even with the previous neighbors Changkyun never was invited into the house. Him and his mother knocked on the door and gave them a cherry pie and that was that. Changkyun could hear his footsteps against the wood flooring. It must be super hard to clean and try not to get dirty and dusty. Changkyun has carpet in his home. He wonders how long it takes to keep it in such pristine condition. The wood paneling for the stairs have such interesting carvings that Changkyun has to stop and check them out. 

"Wonho did that. He loves anything with wood and to build things." Kihyun speaks, his voice sounding deeper by the walls of his house. "A lot of things like furniture in this house had been built by him. Comes with the job."

Right, Wonho is a contractor or construction worker or something Changkyun can't really remember but vaguely does. It's very nice and expertly crafted. There's all different types of artworks that Changkyun believes there's a story behind it all, and for what purpose. He wants to ask Kihyun but bites his inner cheek as Wonho would be the best person to ask considering it's his work. Vintage, something from probably the time they're born because he doesn't recognize any of the markings. 

Changkyun looks up and notices Kihyun is now waiting for him near the top of the steps.  _ Oops. That's rude.  _ He scampers up the steps and stumbles out a quick apology. His mind is wondering and hasn't recovered still; he needs to stay focused. 

"You look nice." Changkyun blurts. The conversation up the stairs is dead. 

"Trying to flirt to get on my good side?" 

There's a small chuckle but something in Kihyun's voice lets Changkyun know the situation is serious. It makes Changkyun swallow heavily and audibly.  _ Shit that's embarrassing _ . He didn't mean anything behind it really; Kihyun genuinely does look nice. 

"I wasn't— nevermind." 

Kihyun must not know how good he looks, for obvious reasons, but there had to be a way to show what he looks like through the eyes of others. He was a good looking dude, no doubt about that. Hell, even Changkyun himself thinks he's pretty irresistible but he won't go there, not now. 

"Don't worry," Kihyun takes a look back and smiles, but doesn't smile wide. It's only enough to tell Changkyun he's smiling. "I'm only messing with you."

They arrive at what Changkyun presumes is Kihyun's bedroom (though, where else would they go), the door slowly opening and Changkyun stands on the tips of his toes to get a peek. He's going to be inside anyways but he's  _ really  _ impatient. Kihyun steps aside for Changkyun to proceed first.  _ They do that a lot.  _ People around town don't normally leave doors open for people. Changkyun thanks him and bows a little, standing in the middle to not be rude at least without permission, and also not knowing what to do next.

Closing the door behind them, Kihyun crosses his arm and steps closer to Changkyun. Before he can get one word out Changkyun cuts to the chase. He's serious about this and wants to make that clear. What was said last night wasn't an act on emotions.

"I want you to bite me."

Kihyun blinks at Changkyun. 

"Wait, you're not backing out? That's not what you're here for?" 

Changkyun shakes his head. "Of course not. I meant what I said. Shouldn't you be glad I'm offering?"

"That's not really the point here." Kihyun moves to sit on the edge of his bed, rubbing his temple.  _ What's the problem here?  _ Already Changkyun feels uneasy and he hasn't even shown any skin.  _ Back pedal, that sounded wrong.  _ "You're such an odd human being. I can't keep up with you." 

"Am I like… not human enough?"

Kihyun makes a face. "What in the world does that mean?"

"I don't know! Then tell me the point that I seem to be missing." 

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Changkyun?" Kihyun's voice drops. Drops to a point that Changkyun Changkyun didn't know was possible. It rumbled like a deep ocean floor.

Changkyun shoots a wavering look towards Kihyun's way.  _ Was there a catch to it all? _ "I know I'm going to get bit? And that I'll have a little less blood than I had today."

Kihyun sighs, folding his arms as he stands up. He walks closer to Changkyun, eyes turning a familiar blood red. This is a test. "What if I can't stop? Then what will you do?" Kihyun wants Changkyun to think about all the different sides to the situation he is putting himself in. He knows his limits, but will Changkyun still see him the same way if he hadn't. “Would you still trust me?” 

"I– I would let you know when I can't handle it anymore." Changkyun stares, eyes trembling but he holds his ground. He's lost in Kihyun's dark yet glowing red eyes, gulping as he notices Kihyun stepping closer each second. Yet, Changkyun isn't stepping back. He isn't all that afraid. Fear was lurking below but not compared to the other vampire.

"Is that so? And how do you plan to do that?" Kihyun reaches out to caress Changkyun's neck. There's a shake that travels within Changkyun's body and he tenses up; Kihyun can feel it, smell it. He stares at the other, wanting to hear his answer but also pokes further. “You’re not strong against someone like me. You know that, right? So tell me how you plan to tell me to stop."

"I have– ways. I'm not backing down. Even if you throw me out of here I'm coming right back." Despite Kihyun's fit today, he still has Changkyun shaking in his boots. Soft or not, his looks can kill.

Kihyun quirks an eyebrow, but finds himself smirking.  _ Committed and determined I see _ . "I didn't think you were this serious about it. If you want me to agree, then I'll agree. Of course, I'll ask for your consent later too. You're an interesting thing aren't you; I wonder where this attitude of yours is sparking from."

"Because!"  _ People out there are dying when they get bit…  _ Changkyun holds his breath. He knows if he says that, the conversation is going to switch into something he would have to avoid. Besides, he's been through that talk twice before and doesn't want to go through it for a third time. "Nothing. I lost my train of thought there."

"Sit down on the bed then and I'll get some things. Make yourself as comfortable as possible."

There's no other words exchanged as Kihyun leaves the room, leaving Changkyun as he stands there motionless like a mannequin.  _ Things? What kind of things? _ Were there going to be needles involved or blood bags? Was Kihyun planning to store it somewhere? No, that couldn't be it. Sitting down is a good option at this point. 

Changkyun plants himself on the bed, hands on his knees that are pressed together as he looks around the room. He notices things he didn't see beforehand, which was firstly the bed. There was no coffin and nothing inside the room had anything vampire related. It was just a normal room. Similar to Changkyun’s with less band posters and Game Boy’s, well, actually Kihyun had none of those things. It held more elegance and maturity. Which was sad for Changkyun being he was eighteen and his room still looked like he was twelve; but he needs it all. 

It's nothing that looks too expensive, but there's a huge difference between Kihyun's room and his own room. The floor here is polished wood and of a darker color, something similar to maroon. It's so shiny Changkyun could almost make out his form. The color scheme of mahogany and the occasional monochrome item around the room. The only thing that had a pop of color was a plant feeding off the sunlight in the window and Changkyun's green bomber jacket.

The room was on a darker scale, but nothing screamed out  _ monster _ or  _ dark biting creature of lore _ . Except, this was real life and lore seemed like a word that meant nothing now. There were curtains on the window of a deep red almost black, but they were open and letting in the sunlight rather than keeping it out. Not even a holy grail or a goblet to hold his cup of blood. Or none that Changkyun could see. Hard to believe this was a vampires room.

There weren't any photos around. Could vampires be photographed? Maybe mirrors was where the line was drawn. One of his buddies had a polaroid camera, he could ask to borrow it for about ten bucks. Then again, Shownu's camera was like his child; it would be hard to break them apart. Or Changkyun could just ask of course.

The door opens back up and Kihyun doesn't say anything when he walks back into the room, but he holds a tray of some sorts.  _ What is this black market cheap surgery thing going on?  _ Taking a closer look, there's a glass of what most likely seems to be water. Changkyun doesn't know what else would be clear other than Sprite or 7-Up but there was no carbonation. Then again, Kihyun doesn't seem like a soda drinker. 

"What's that?" Changkyun wants to clarify. There's a smaller, wider glass next to the slim taller one with a golden caramel liquid inside. It wasn't filled up to the top, but in all the detective movies and shows Changkyun has seen, it looks to be alcohol. He remembers seeing something similar downstairs when approaching Kihyun too.

"Drinks. I don't have anything to eat if you're hungry. Besides, all the donuts have been eaten." Changkyun grasps the glass of water handed to him that drips onto his jean pants. The ice clicks against the glass, and a lemon is squeezed at the bottom. He doesn't drink water this way, but he's thankful and takes a drink. His face scrunches at the lemon taste.

"And what's that?" Changkyun points to a shot glass. 

"Sazerac. It's a New Orleans cocktail and I like mine with whiskey instead of cognac which is a high-quality brandy." 

Changkyun nods and stares at the slow movements that Kihyun exhibits. The way he swirls the drink, downing it in one go as he lets out a satisfied exhale, licking his lips. Changkyun is intrigued by his presence and the aura that's floating in the air from Kihyun fixing his sleeves and making sure to keep the pitcher of water cold for later. It was sharp, yet delicate. He looked so proper and just the side profile in general caught attention. Talk about sharp, that nose looked as if it could cut Changkyun. Forget knives and Kihyun being a vampire; the most dangerous weapon was his looks. He felt like he swallowed an ice cube.

"You're staring again, Changkyun." His voice makes Changkyun jump, not bothering to turn and look his way. 

"I didn't mean to stare for so long. I'm in such awe at you actually wearing a shirt and a cardigan. I like the improvement. It looks good."

"It felt like I had no choice." Kihyun gravels under his breath. He brings the tray to the bed, placing it on the bedside table and pours himself another glass of his alcoholic drink. Changkyun changes his position to face Kihyun and his movements, still staring. He was so curious. He wants to loosen up the room a little more. 

"Have you ever been in a coffin? Like slept in one or had bitten someone in them?" Changkyun panics. "I mean! If course biting and the sensual hanky panky is private b–but I was just curious." He finishes, feeling like a complete airhead. 

"No. Not sure where coffin sleeping came from but, I don't do it. Feel like there wouldn't be enough room to roll around." 

_ I think that's the point.  _ "Huh. Do vampires like certain blood types?" Changkyun asks. 

"Not that I know of or experienced."

"Well, you look like A Type for me."

Kihyun pauses at rearranging things on the table. He stares at Changkyun with an unchanging expression. "That kind of sucked."

"Oh come on, that was pretty clever. You can't deny that one. Plus, you made a joke back!”

"Hm, I'll let it sink in before I decide that.”

Changkyun leans forward, angling his ear as if to listen better. “Was that also a small vampire joke too? You said sink in.”

“That depends on what you think.” 

Changkyun wants to make Kihyun laugh, smile, anything for them both to feel at ease. He notices how distant Kihyun feels. He knows they haven't spent  _ that  _ much time together, but he knows something feels off. Placing his cup on the bedside table, Changkyun calls out. 

"Kihyun." There's a hum, telling Changkyun he's got his attention. "Are you… mad? At me?"

Kihyun stops. The movement makes Changkyun feel like he's hit a bullseye. Kihyun looks back at Changkyun, eyes searching. He's not mad, but he doesn't feel any sort of excitement. There's a mix of unknown feelings within him but it's far from being angered.

"No. Do I come off that way?"

"I'm not sure what you're thinking. It's this feeling I get that you're not totally fine with this. Am I too forceful? Or do you smell that my blood is disgusting?"

"I told you before that your blood is sweet. Vampires love sweet blood." Kihyun fills up Changkyun's half empty glass of water. "You're just full of surprises for a human being." He walks to the bed, removing his shoes and socks to sit across from Changkyun. "I'm slowly starting to not be sure of what you're thinking. Never been around a human for this long." 

So Kihyun isn't mad at him,  _ maybe.  _ But now that they're here facing each other, Changkyun gawks at Kihyun, waiting for him to make the first movement. Even though he initiated this whole thing, he's never been bitten and isn't sure what to do next. Does he take off his clothes or show his neck to Kihyun? Or does he lay down and wait till Kihyun bites him?

Not only that but, they were both men. Changkyun never had been faced with this situation before. He's played Seven Minutes in Heaven before and remembers making out with a girl at a party. Except, this was the same sex and this wasn't some fun little party game. This could lead to something  _ more.  _ He wasn't against the idea of being with a man but he's nervous. 

How do others get bit whenever they're with Kihyun? From what Changkyun has seen, they're either naked or outside. He's not sure what to do with that info but his thoughts lead him down into a further hole.  _ Actually, Changkyun doesn't want to think about that. Go away thoughts, go.  _

Then, Changkyun gets reminded of Minhyuk and his problem. His heart hurts for a quick moment. That's right, what Changkyun is doing with Kihyun would possibly be considered disgusting in the eyes of those who consider this inhumane. He feels a little pain in his chest.

"Can you stop staring at me?" Kihyun breaks Changkyun's line of multiple thoughts. "You're making me nervous." He tugs on the sleeve of his cardigan that's a little too big on him. Ever since Changkyun walked through the doors he's been eyeballing him nonstop. Kihyun doesn't like all the attention. 

"You? Nervous? I think the nervous one should be me considering I'm a pork chop in your eyes."

"You know that's not true. If that was the case we wouldn't be here at this point, so cut that shit out." Kihyun huffs, his tone harsh and flat.  _ Really Changkyun? _ "Drop that crap already because if that's what you're going to think then you're free to leave."

Kihyun's tone is sharp and it freaks Changkyun out a little. He bites his tongue, nodding his head, looking down at the sheets. His fingers moving across the tight top blanket that's stitched with such intricate designs. So far, this could have gotten off to a better start. 

"Sorry." Changkyun stammers. He feels so, so small. There's a part that wants to leave at this point as the air inside the room is bringing him down, but Changkyun is stronger than that. He knows it. 

Kihyun stresses, combing his hair. He didn't mean to come off so harsh, but he hates this view Changkyun has placed on him. If that was the case, then why was he here. Kihyun knows what he does is wrong, any human would see that. He's told him countless times that he's a vampire and he drinks to survive. He doesn't seek any pleasure in killing people for blood. He looks at Changkyun, guilty as he watches the sullen look that's fallen onto his face. 

"Look, I didn't mean to upset you but, you've got to understand I've never had someone offer themselves to me before. I'm trying everything I can to not hurt you so, I myself am nervous." Kihyun confesses. "I know you've seen things and you're still here despite that but, please, acknowledge how I feel too." He adjusts his legs, pulling them closer to himself. "Besides, all the staring is making me lose focus. I don't want to mess this up and end up hurting you."

"You're right. I apologize." 

The room is silent after Changkyun's apology. Even as the words slipped past his lips, he still can't seem to chisel away the gnawing feeling that's within him. He doesn't know what to do at this point and Changkyun wonders if today wasn't a good day. It's not that he was backing out, he'd come tomorrow but right now seemed like a bad time. 

It feels like a blind date that's going terribly wrong. Turned sour like the lemon in his water. It was almost as if something in the air was pinching each oxygen molecule. It takes a few moments before Kihyun speaks again, his voice quiet. A big contrast from his previous tone.

"Did you want to not look at one another? I can get behind you if you feel uncomfortable." Kihyun suggests, already moving to get up. Changkyun reacts fairly quickly to catch his ankle. He pulls back, realizing he could have almost tripped him if he wasn't careful. 

"This… this is fine. If I don't go through with this how will I go through this another time."

With a nod, Kihyun takes a seat again, knees touching except,  _ why is he closer? _ This wasn't the first time they were this close, they've been closer before, chest to chest closer but, this moment wasn't like the others. Not that they really shared much together but, it was different. Besides _ , SAME GENDER _ flashes repeatedly in Changkyun's head. 

They already had a rocky start, and Changkyun knew he didn't look like he was ready at all. Where was his confronting attitude he had earlier. Now he looks pathetic. His eyes gravitate to Kihyun's hands which play with the round, hard buttons and he watches as Kihyun plays with the loose stitching on his cardigan. A finger slides into one of the holes and Changkyun looks away. 

"Should we like… hold hands or something?" Kihyun suggests which makes Changkyun snort. God this sounded like teen kids starting to date, he feels so embarrassed he wants to jump out the window. "What? Did what I say sound stupid?"

"No, no. I wasn't making fun of you, not at all!"  _ Jesus Changkyun, don't fuck this up even more.  _ He pinches the bridge of his nose. "It sounded cute." That was the only thing his brain could have come up with out of all things.  _ Way to go Changkyun.  _

Kihyun turns his direction to the wood flooring, chewing the inside of his mouth. Maybe this was a bad idea to agree to Changkyun's on a whim suggestion. There had to be a way out of this somehow. 

"Uhm, this sounds really weird coming from me," Changkyun runs the back of his neck, it's hot. He swears he's straight,  _ maybe,  _ he isn't sure actually, but he suggests something he never would have never guessed. "But would kissing help get things moving along?" 

"I don't do kissing." Kihyun flatly says.  _ Woah, that's a surprise.  _ It was another answer Changkyun for sure didn't expect. "I feel like it's more intimate than sex." 

"Woah… I never knew that." How many woah's did Changkyun say in his head by now? He's lost count. Would one more be too much? 

"To me, it feels more personal and too romantic, that's why I've never kissed anyone. It seems easier to forget casual sex than a powerful kiss correct? At least, that's what I believe."

"I… uh, wouldn't know." Changkyun coughs. Changkyun only had his first kiss before he had turned eighteen and that was with a girl he thought liked him back. To him though, he doesn't remember it being  _ spectacular.  _ Other than a kiss, he doesn't really know much.

"Oh." Is all Kihyun says and looks away. He's a little flustered. 

_ Oh God, somebody, please save this conversation _ . One idea after another gets shot down and it wasn't even thought of thoroughly by Kihyun. How did the people before him get bit without this bullcrap. Changkyun doesn't want to get too personal, but from all the pornography books he's read this wasn't what he had thought it would turn out to be. Especially with a vampire, but of course there was no PlayBoy magazine that Vampires.  _ Wonder what that might be called? _

Can't he just get bit and then on he goes? Why does Changkyun have to sit through this agonizing torture of what to do. He might as well count the tiles on the bedroom floor which seems more interesting than this.

The glass of his lemon water begs to be drunk and Changkyun agrees, his throat will thank him. He reaches for his wet glass, and takes another drink. A few big gulps. Despite hating the slight sour taste, it feels good at this moment now. Changkyun's brain is not in the room especially when realizing he drank all the water in his cup.  _ Was he that thirsty? _

"Do you need another glass?" Kihyun questions. His eyes aren't red and instead a chestnut brown that's surprisingly warm and inviting. Changkyun never comments on his normal eye color as the blood red ones catch much more attention. Here though, he appreciates how unthreatening and inviting they were. "Are you nervous?" Kihyun asks, as he takes Changkyun's empty cup. "I hope I didn't startle you with what I said." 

"I'm doing pretty good." This was Changkyun's life here. One bad move on his part could lead him to an early grave. He has about a good eighty years of his life still waiting for him and he's not ready to see the one shining light that isn't the sun. "But, I'm trying my best to calm myself down for this." 

"I apologize." Kihyun lifts a hand to cup Changkyun's cheek, it's warm. Like his eyes, Kihyun's hand lingers there, steadily traveling to cradle his head. Changkyun knows this position and it makes him feel hot knowing it's usually to kiss someone. 

The movements begin to make Changkyun's heart hammer fast in his chest. The way Kihyun's fingertips fingertips grazs his neck makes him shudder and tense up like before. He's never felt anything like this before; it feels so foreign. 

"You're not hypnotizing me are you?" Changkyun voices out, shocked at how it came to be a whisper. 

Kihyun chuckles, his left hand sliding between Changkyun's fingers as his right hand slides down to caress Changkyun's neck ever so delicately. There's a bolt of electricity that flows through Changkyun's body. First his heart hammers and now they're drilling in his chest; the hand holding was a joke but now it's getting too real.

"No, and even if I could you wouldn't even realize it." Kihyun replies.

Changkyun closes his eyes the minute he feels Kihyun lean in. The way his hot breath hits his neck and the hair on top Kihyun's head begin to tickle Changkyun's chin. The warm lips that connect to his skin has him hold a whimper and bite his lip. Wetness spreads against his neck, feeling Kihyun's tongue slide across. He can't help but tremble and use his only free hand to grab Kihyun's shirt. 

"O-oh god…" Changkyun squeezes his eyes as he whispers close to Kihyun's ear. He waits for the pain to come so he can scream like every person before him.  _ It's coming, right about now, it's coming.  _ There's one small bite, like a nibble that plays with his skin. It makes Changkyun anxious, anticipate yet, he doesn't sink his teeth into his neck. There's no sharp pain and Changkyun doesn't feel the blood drain little by little from him. Instead, Changkyun feels Kihyun's right hand slides down to caress his arm and comes back up to his shoulders, massaging them softly. The lips that were once on him disappear and the heat begins to subside.

Changkyun opens his eyes to see Kihyun now further than expected as he was so close to his neck just seconds ago, keeping a polite distance.  _ Did something go wrong? _

"Everything okay?" Changkyun asks. 

"What do you mean?" Kihyun doesn't stop his slow movements against Changkyun's arm.

"Why did you stop?"

Kihyun smiles, massaging small circles that makes Changkyun feel really,  _ really  _ nice. Would it be too weird to moan? He appreciates the delicate fingers and pressure against his skin. It makes Changkyun tilt his head back and it inadvertently gives Kihyun a nice access to his slender and delicious looking neck. Kihyun stares, his mouth slightly open. He's tempted,  _ really _ tempted but this is Changkyun; he can't afford to lose his trust.

"I can't sink my fangs into you when I can tell you're scared and stiff. You need to relax. It's like getting those vaccine shots. I can't stick it in you if you're all tense."

"That last line sounds dirty." Changkyun giggles, mostly to himself. 

"Ah, that's not what I meant. This is very—" Kihyun's hand stops for a second as he moves back to the shoulders. "All very new for me."

_ Right. _ Didn't he already say that? What else is new for Kihyun? Changkyun wants to know more, even if it's just a little. 

"I'm alright. You can continue." 

"May I?" Kihyun asks, his hands slowly cradling Changkyun's head to support. 

He tenses up; it's instinct. He nods his head, closing his eyes as his hand is still entwined with Kihyun's other hand and he tightens his grip a little.

Feeling Kihyun's breath against his neck again, Changkyun lets out a shaky exhale. This was all so news he wanted it to be over with but the way Kihyun moved made him want more. What a way to experience something and it wasn't even a human. Lips press against the skin like before and one hand travels to grip Changkyun's right arm, holding him in place from moving too much. Kihyun's grip is a bit too tight, but it isn't something Changkyun is worried about.

"I told you that I can't bite you if you're not relaxed."

"I– I'm relaxed." 

Unexpectedly, Kihyun moves to nibble Changkyun's ear, making him gasp at the wet and erotic feeling. There aren't any other words communicated, but Changkyun can't help what kind of noises start to come out of his mouth. Kihyun blows into Changkyun's ear and earns himself a squeal. There's a whimper that lifts off of Changkyun's lips, a hand flying to grip Kihyun's t-shirt. He feels so flustered right now, it's embarrassing. Each small touch makes him sensitive as well as every breath. 

"Not nervous you say?" Kihyun is trying his hardest not to laugh, but smirks at the way Changkyun acts. It makes him want to tease him for that. 

"Sh– shut up and bite me." 

"You know I can't do that. I need you to be relaxed. If you're not it's going to seriously hurt."

Changkyun lays his forehead on Kihyun's shoulder. "Is that why people scream?"

Kihyun goes silent. He speaks after Changkyun loosens his grip on his shirt. "They don't see it coming and their body reacts at the sudden intrusion. It's a shocking experience for them. But you're here because you know what is going to happen. You know how much it'll hurt based on the reactions of others, though if you're cognizant of it, it doesn't hurt all that bad."

"Does it really not hurt that bad?" Changkyun looks up.  _ He's so close. _

"I wouldn't know personally. I was bitten without realizing but it's not that bad from what I've heard. Some people take pleasure in it and find it stimulating." Kihyun says it so quickly Changkyun once more can't comment, not even dwell. "But that's not important right now. Do you want me to distract you?"

"Can you maybe juggle or do a funny dance?" Changkyun decides to drop what Kihyun said to save the conversation from falling. 

"How about we do something we can  _ actually _ do and that doesn't require me to be at a large distance from you, please." Kihyun retracts his hand, the warmth against Changkyun lingers a few seconds before disappearing. 

Changkyun pouts, eyebrows forming together. "Who told you I can't juggle."

"Even if you can, now isn't the time to juggle."

"Okay…" Changkyun elongates the y as his mind trails off to think of something that could distract him. Something that will make him less nervous about the situation he put himself and Kihyun in. "Want me to bring my Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots?"

"Uh…" Kihyun eyes Changkyun suspiciously. His free hand rubs his pants, looking over Changkyun's shoulder to see his house but the curtains are shut in his house. "Let's stay here alright?"

_ Picky.  _ What else were they supposed to do? Obviously all the ideas consisted of them moving and not staying in one spot. They weren't statues. If Changkyun really wanted to get his mind off of the situation, he might as well have Kihyun bite him in his sleep. He wishes he had brought his Walkman or something to fill up the empty room. 

Reaching his hand out, Changkyun pokes Kihyun's knee. "I think you're being a little unfair Kihyun. You, out of all people." 

"What?" Despite Changkyun's pout, Kihyun can hear his serious tone.

"Even if it hurts, I'm still willing to give you my blood, aren't I?" 

Kihyun opens his mouth to breathe and respond to Changkyun. "I'm just trying to be considerate." 

"So am I, right?"

Kihyun's lips merge into a thin line, slowly nodding his head. That's right_. _Changkyun is in front of him, willing, and Kihyun is acting like a child. He's older and he still acts like his child self. He needs to assert some kind of mature dominance. 

"Alright. You're right, you're right. No feeling stressed or having you get tensed up alright."

"Got it."

"You do accept and I have your consent, correct?"

"Yup." Changkyun accents the p with a hard pop. 

Kihyun nods, and shifts closer to Changkyun. There's a fiercer look within Kihyun's eyes that takes Changkyun's breath away. His eyes weren't red (yet), but the same energy and dominance of his species lied behind the caramel browns. 

“Not meaning to interrupt but can you count down?”

“No, that’ll make it worse.” Kihyun cradles Changkyun’s neck like before, angling it for easy access.  _ Third time really is the charm. _ “If it makes you feel better you can grip my arm as hard as you want if it hurts too much for you.”

"Okay, okay I can do that." 

“Now relax alright; give me your hand again.” Kihyun comforts.

Changkyun does just that and clasps his hand tightly to Kihyun’s. It's warm today and he tugs slightly as if to make sure he doesn't let go. Changkyun's other hand makes itself comfortable on Kihyun's shoulder. This is what Changkyun agreed to do and he'll see the end of it if he has to. He lets out a few breaths to steady his breathing; calm his mind and inner self. A small meditation session Changkyun likes to call it more than a pumping up.

"Man, I feel like I'm going to give birth."

Kihyun sighs. Changkyun can feel it against his neck.

"The way you talk is so not sexy."

"I've been thinking about you all day." Changkyun jokingly whispers. "I've wanted you for so, so long."

Kihyun squeezes Changkyun's hand in warning. "Stop. Relax."

All conversations dissolve as the main focus comes back into the room. It's hard to concentrate when Changkyun feels Kihyun swipe his tongue against his neck again. How many times have they got to this point now again? Changkyun believes not only will he have two holes in his neck, but now one side will be covered in hickeys. Kihyun kisses the area, wet and sloppy. It makes Changkyun think how it must feel to kiss him the way his mouth moves against his neck.  _ Though that's thinking too ahead.  _

"Tap my shoulder if you feel like you've had enough." 

Changkyun nods and Kihyun's tongue swipes the same spot on his neck and his teeth slowly sink in. It isn't rough, but there's a pain that pools in Changkyun's stomach that feels like it's reaching his neck and then his brain. A loud agonizing groan leaves Changkyun. It’s worse than a vaccine shot; _ much worse _ . He’s never been stabbed before, but in his mind, this is probably close to the feeling. Sharp and piercing as if a hook latched onto his skin.  _ Changkyun can see why people scream.  _ He can feel his eyes start to tear and the blood leaving his body; almost hearing it as crazy as it seemed. His hands grip tighter around Kihyun's shoulder and hand, who gently runs his thumb over Changkyun's hand to soothe him. 

He doesn't want to scream. Instead, Changkyun bites Kihyun back between the neck and shoulder to let out a loud groan in order to handle some of the pain. He almost feels like he'll break both their hands and shoulders with how strong his hands are clutching. There's a small muffled whimper that leaves Kihyun when Changkyun bites into him, but he doesn't pull away, still drinking. 

_ A few more seconds more. Hang on a little more.  _

Changkyun tries to pep talk himself. Tries to ease his mind and forget the pain but the pain is so prominent. It hurts. He feels Kihyun's free hand move from his shoulder to his waist. Fingertips skimming across his stomach and caressing the skin underneath his shirt. It makes Changkyun gasp at the sensation, pulling his mouth off of Kihyun's shoulder as his attention is quickly driven away from the pain on his neck. Even so, it still doesn't make Changkyun forget the pain but his mind is off it for a few seconds. 

_ Tap. Tap it now. No more. Tap. Tap it.  _

Changkyun taps Kihyun's shoulder repeatedly, his body feeling limp as he presses most of his weight on him. Kihyun immediately pulls off, licks his lips and pulls away from Changkyun whose soul seemed to have left him.

"Are you alright? Please tell me I didn't hurt you too much." The worried look on Kihyun's face looks so strange when his eyes glow red. How his eyes carry such emotions even when he's in his true form. Changkyun can't fathom it. His brain feels jelled and he'll console Kihyun just, not now. He wants to go to bed. But Changkyun is okay. He's just not there. 

"Sleepy. I'm feeling sleepy." He mumbles. Crawling to the pillows as he slips out of Kihyun's grip. Changkyun wants to sleep. It drained his body, literally. 

Kihyun quickly moves to the side of the bed, kneeling as he watches Changkyun's movements. He carefully lifts up his covers for him to slide under. "Do you need more water? Those pain pill things? What do you need?"

"You. Here." Changkyun holds his hand as he lays his body on the bed. His head hits the pillows, soft against his cheek and fluffy to make him sigh happily. They're cold, slowly bringing his heated temperature down. He feels sick.  _ Is that normal?  _

"You want a hug?" 

Changkyun's hands squeeze the air. He wants something to hold. His body aches and wants comfort and to sleep. 

"Cuddles." 

Hesitantly, Kihyun moves closer to Changkyun. He's unsure how to care for him but at this moment, whatever his command is, Kihyun will do it for him. He doesn't want Changkyun to despise him. If he is in too much pain, it's on Kihyun. 

"Are you sure you don't need anything? I'm worried." Changkyun shakes his head. He tugs on Kihyun's sleeve, urging him to join in a small nap. Kihyun's eyes slowly fade back to normal as he watches Changkyun beg for him to hug him, or cuddle. He sighs and moves to lay down. The bed dips from his body and he slides his arms wrapping around Changkyun. He feels so small despite them being about the same stature. Kihyun feels warm rather than cold and it makes Changkyun nuzzle into the cardigan, feeling its soft fabric against his cheek. Maybe he doesn't need the pillows. "Please don't be afraid to ask something from me. I'm the one who drank from you and made you feel this way, so I'll be taking care of you."

"I know. It is sore though. Like throbbing. It feels weird and just…  _ weird _ ."

"What?" Kihyun pulls away to look into Changkyun's eyes, widely. "So you are hurting, right? Then let me—"

"Stay."

"It won't take me long to get you some water though. I run really fast. Seconds even. You wouldn't even know. Also—"

Changkyun raises a hand to clamp over Kihyun's mouth. "Too much. Too much talking."

Kihyun seals his lips, watching as Changkyun nestles back into him. He's so…  _ peculiar.  _ One minute he's scared, the next he's determined about something, and then he'll be happy next to Kihyun and then go back to being scared. Be right by Kihyun's side and then stay a large distance away. Kihyun doesn't know how to react to Changkyun at times. He's encountered humans, many of course, but mostly he's not sure how to react to him. 

Patting his head, Kihyun lays there and waits until Changkyun is lulled to sleep before he gets out of bed. He doesn't know what to do other than soothe him, but he mimics what Wonho does whenever Kihyun wants to be comforted. 

  
  


  
  


Before waking up, Changkyun feels his body is sore even in his dreams. His eyes blink for who knows how many times and his body feels heavy, like an anchor. The room gradually comes into view and thankfully, the curtains are closed. The lights are off except for the one that's on top of a desk across the room. It feels dark, and not just inside, but outside as well. Changkyun can't see through the closed curtains, obviously _ ,  _ but he can tell that it's late.  _ How long was he out for? _

Changkyun tries getting up, only for him to yell in pain as his neck weighs a ton. He can't move it to the side, his muscles feeling tight and stiff. His hand comes up to touch his neck, feeling something like cotton or some sort of a fuzzy texture against his skin. There's the rapid footsteps and sinking of the bed beside his body.

"Are you okay? Tell me what hurts." It's Kihyun's voice, filled with worry and dripping of concern. Changkyun believes that he had to be sleeping weird for his neck to hurt and with the addition of the bite, or maybe a mixture of both, but damn it hurts like a bitch. He can't move his head time to the side. He feels fingers graze against the bite and he flinches. That doesn't go well with Kihyun. "Oh no, I messed up bad didn't I? I'm so sorry." Changkyun sees in the corner of his eyes that Kihyun looks like he's about to cry.  _ W– woah _ . 

"No, no, it's alright. I'm not bleeding on the bed or anything and I feel like I have both my kidneys still so, don't sweat." Changkyun let's Kihyun place a hand on his back and chest to lift him up. It takes a few minutes for his neck to be mobile again and freely looks around the room without strain. 

Kihyun leaves the room and then comes back in just as he closes the door.  _ Right, Changkyun almost forgot.  _ There's a glass of water in his hands without the lemon this time and he gingerly accepts. It feels so nice in his hands and gulping down a nice chug makes him feel better already; wakes him up.

"How do you feel? Did you want anything else?" 

The way Kihyun keeps making sure Changkyun is alright is starting to make him feel bad and feel so warm. His aftercare is too much for Changkyun to handle.

"I'm alright." Changkyun reassures. "Thanks for all the water. I would have turned into dust because my mouth was so dry today." He laughs and remembers Kihyun can actually turn someone into dust. He shivers. 

"Are you cold? I can get more blankets for you!" 

"Actually," Changkyun stops Kihyun who looks at him, waiting. He knows Kihyun hasn't bitten anyone who was willing to know he was a vampire and getting bitten but, he doesn't need to worry  _ this  _ much. "Your clothes have changed."

Kihyun looks down and his lips turn into a thin line. His outfit totally changed. The yellow shirt was replaced with a black turtleneck and his blue jeans were switched with white ones. He looked great, spectacular even but, he wasn't supposed to wear so many turtlenecks. He needed to work on that still. The only thing that didn't change was his hair, down and still fluffed against his forehead.

"Well, I," Kihyun stumbles his reply.

"I am cold on second thought. I'll have a turtleneck." 

There's a look of dismay that spreads across his face, an almost rejected look. Kihyun knew he shouldn't have changed clothes but, he really missed his turtlenecks. They were practically his skin; he felt comfortable. He sighs, pulling the hem out from his pants and he begins to shed it off. There's an audible gasp that fills the room and Changkyun's voice can be heard. 

"No, no! That's okay!" Changkyun raises his hands and the ice in his glass clicks loudly. He saw Kihyun naked waist up before and he didn't want to see it again. This wasn't the time to be having heart attacks. Besides Changkyun just got bit by the dude, he didn't want to see Kihyun in such a way. "I didn't think you would take your shirt off. Keep it on for today."

Kihyun frowns, wishing Changkyun would make up his mind. He lets go and smooths out any wrinkles created in his shirt. He. breaks knowing Changkyun looks to be okay and has energy to mess with him. "What else do you want then? Do you want my pants as well? My underwear too while you're at it?" Kihyun is slightly irritable, but he hides it, knowing that he'll freak out Changkyun again. 

"Uh, I don't," Changkyun's hands clasps around the glass, his fingers rubbing over the lip shape. "It's fine. I can go home now if that's what you want."

"I'm joking." Kihyun covers, sitting on the edge of the bed by Changkyun's legs. 

"You need to work on your jokes a little more. Your vampire ones were pretty funny."

Kihyun doesn't remember what he said earlier, but he brushes past the thought and laughs it off. He takes a glance at Changkyun who stares at the remaining contents in his glass. Reaching out a hand, Kihyun examines the area of the bite, bandaged up to prevent any small bleeding. Changkyun flinches, holding his cup closer to him as he shuts his eyes. It still feels sore, now feeling like an after vaccine shot and having to rub your arm. "Does it look bad? Did I grow fur? Or did it already scab?"

There's a laugh that leaves Kihyun, shaking his head. "No, you didn't grow fur. It's a bandage I put on you. The minimal bleeding should have stopped by now." Kihyun's fingers feel slightly cold this time. Changkyun holds in a shiver and nestles his back into the pillows as naturally as he can. Kihyun is too focused on the bandage to even notice his movements. "Did you want me to take it off?"

"Would I look funny walking around with it?"

"People might want to see it knowing you kids; always wanting to see gross shit like bones sticking out of your legs." Kihyun stands and places Changkyun's cup on the nightstand. Changkyun watches him move to the table across the foot of the bed, shifting through the drawers. He can't help but feel offended. 

"A kid? Who are you calling a kid? I'm an adult!" Changkyun exclaims. "And there's no way I'm going to have people view my bite like it's an attraction. I'll hide it. I know with the bandage though, people will question. A lot."

"Off it is." Kihyun smiles, small and doesn't reach his eyes. "And maybe you're not like that but from what I've seen, I question the human race."

"What? Did you see someone pick their nose and put it in their mouth?"

When Kihyun sits down, his face twists in disgust.  _ Looks like he just found that one out.  _ "People do that? For what?" 

"Did I make you lose more hope in humanity?" Changkyun snickers.

Kihyun snorts, pulling off the bandage, slowly, much to Changkyun’s dismay. The tape sticks to Changkyun's skin like a leech and they both wince. Kihyun should have just ripped that off. "Please, my hope for humanity lost decades and decades ago. Now I'm trying to see what else it is that humans are going to do that's stupid. Sort of like a morbid game." 

Changkyun shakes his head and hisses. Too much movement in the span of an hour. He holds his neck, feeling the puncture wounds.  _ Yeah, he's going to have to cover that up.  _ "Is this going to be permanent and you just stick your fangs back in again like an electrical outlet?" 

"Didn't I tell you?" Changkyun shakes his head as little as he can. He might have been told, but surely he doesn't recall. "It'll heal in a few days. Give it maybe about four days." 

"Will you be okay for that long? You won't like… bite someone else?" 

"Why? Will you get jealous?" Kihyun smirks and Changkyun frowns.  _ Not funny, mister.  _ "Come on, don't look at me like that. I'll be fine for a few days." Changkyun narrows his eyes, and shoots a look. "Yes, for more than four days alright. I'll be fine. You should trust me a little more, come on." 

Changkyun hums in playful suspicion. "I got my eye on you."

"Tell me which side so that I can be on the one that's not watching me." Kihyun laughs as he walks to his closet. Curiously, like everything in the house, Changkyun peers as much as he can inside. An array of blacks and maroons, all long sleeved turtlenecks. The only difference had been the clothes they went shopping for, most with the tags on them. And the outfit Kihyun had on earlier was now hung up. "Since you don't want the one off my body like you had suggested," Kihyun grabs a random turtleneck, taking it off the hanger. "Have this one. You'll be wearing it when you get bit."

Changkyun catches the shirt that's thrown to him, noticing the same charcoal black color that Kihyun has on but, it isn't quite the same. The one Kihyun wore was of thicker quality like a sweater, while the one in Changkyun's hands was much thinner.  _ Damn, how many types did he have? _

"Thanks." Kihyun's scent is infused into the clothing, it's fragrant. Though, it's different from the first encounter. A light lavender smell rather than the woodsy scent. "I have a few outfits ideas to go with this."

"Are you hungry? Ever since you arrived here you haven't eaten any—"

"H–Hey, I'm going to ask you something and want your view on it." Changkyun cuts Kihyun without realizing, shutting his mouth quickly. He didn't mean to over talk him.

Even so, Kihyun senses a change in air; the tone of Changkyun tells there's a lot on his mind. He stops searching through the closet. "Sure. Something the matter?"

"It's my friends. You know Minhyuk and Jooheon, the ones you and Wonho played with when we first met?" Kihyun nods, and that's Changkyun's cue to continue, albeit nervously. "Well, he came to me, us, with some surprising news. Minhyuk I mean. And I guess Jooheon didn't really expect it. Since Minhyuk actually likes Jooheon." 

Kihyun's lips purse. "Ah, I see. So Minhyuk likes Jooheon, but Jooheon I'm guessing, doesn't like Minhyuk in that way. So are you jealous?"

"Huh? No! Where did you get that from?" Changkyun's eyes widen. Yes, he loves both of them but, surely not in a romantic light. "I'm just worried; about them, mostly Minhyuk." 

"So, you want help with how to react t or do you want to know what I think about Minhyuk being gay? Or like what is it you feel troubled by?"

“Yes. No? Or, maybe? Ugh, I actually don’t know.” Changkyun slumps against the pillows. “I’m feeling so, like, horrible. I don't know what to do in a situation like this. I wanna be there for both of my friends but, I feel like I’ll have to choose between the both of them. I don't want to choose and if I do, I might have it blown in my face.”

“Then don’t.”

“Huh?”

“Then don’t.” Kihyun repeats. “You don’t have to choose between the two of them and you shouldn’t. Just because they’re fighting and mind you it could have been anything too, but they shouldn’t involve you in choosing who should get more attention and time from you. That’ll leave you in the end feeling worse, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s true. If I do have to choose between the two of them constantly then it wouldn’t make me feel right. But, I’m worried about them both. I don’t want to lose them both. You know?” 

Kihyun smiles and nods. “I do. It’s interesting how you’re coming to me about this though.”

_ O–oh.  _ That’s right. Kihyun mentioned something about not being close to others but wanting to keep relationships he has now because his whole life he’s seen friends and family die since his aging is slow. Anyone who doesn’t know he’s a vampire can’t be near him for too long. They’ll find out sooner or later he’s not normal. But Changkyun still wants to ask for insight despite all his relationships with others aren’t on such a good path. Anyone at school could tell, and Kihyun was an outside party. 

“I trust your insight on this.” Changkyun confesses. “Anyone else would tell and spread it around, and I don’t want to do that. Besides, if you’re gay that’s looked very down upon at school. I support Minhyuk, hundred percent, I was only shocked at how he’s been hiding it so well I never really guessed.”

“Maybe Jooheon needs some time to sort it out. Minhyuk said he was gay and then proceeded to tell Jooheon he’s liked him; that’s a lot to discover about a friend.” Kihyun says, moving the covers closer to Changkyun’s body. He rubs his hands together as he gathers his next sentence. “I think for you it’s a little different because Minhyuk didn’t confess that he liked you. So I say give it some time.” 

"You have a point. I wasn't the one being confessed too so I can see how troubling it would be for Jooheon but, Minhyuk said he acted so strangely and said rude things to him." Changkyun grabs his glass, drinking it with thankfulness. Everytime he drinks it feels so refreshing, almost like it's his first time ingesting the liquid. 

"You just found out about this today, right?"

"Today and last night." Changkyun wishes he had the lemon in his water this time. It's not a taste he enjoys but, he can't have alcohol and he feels like he needs something strong. He could ask Kihyun for an energy drink or something. "I feel like a bad person not being able to help further." 

"Hey," Kihyun catches Changkyun's attention. "I know they mean a lot to you and you're worried, so much I feel like you're about to sweat all over the sheets." Changkyun chuckles, once again playing with the glass cup. "And your feelings are valid. This is a big thing and you're worried your friend might get hurt, right? I'm sure you suggested that you wanted to keep him company, no?"

That's right. What else could Changkyun do? He's tried all that he can for Minhyuk and even said he's got his back. That Minhyuk will always be Minhyuk to him. Changkyun stares at the melting ice that floats in his cup, and there's pressure on top of his head. He looks up to see Kihyun patting his head like he's a loving animal. There's such a softness in his eyes it almost makes Changkyun want to cry. 

"You know, whenever I'm sad, Wonho would pat my head just like this. It's soothing, right?" Changkyun nods, and his cup is once again taken from his hands. He hears it being placed on the nightstand and Kihyun continues to pat his head. It feels so nice that he's in a mixture of crying and smiling at the same time. He doesn't want to lose his friends. He looks at Kihyun, wanting to ask another question without pushing the envelope too much. Nah, he shouldn't, that's too personal. "Something else you wanna say? Don't be afraid to let something off your mind."

"Uhm, I feel like I'm going to cry so can I lighten up the mood a little?" Kihyun doesn't reply, but waits patiently for what Changkyun has to say. "It's not gay unless the balls touch, right?" Changkyun blurts out of random and Kihyun stays silent. It's almost amazing to see how fast Kihyun's face changes; record time even. He's totally a sea otter. Kihyun doesn't know if he should laugh or be weirded out, but his expression mixes the two. “Sorry. It’s a joke that I heard from Minhyuk when he tried to make light of his situation; I guess to help himself not think about the whole situation. I hope I didn’t offend you or anything?”

“No, you didn’t but that’s… interesting? I’m actually not sure how to comment on that.” Kihyun chuckles, quickly coming back with another glass of water for Changkyun. He’s so quick, Changkyun forgets he actually runs (flints, flutters Changkyun doesn’t remember the word) but to him it’s like he teleports. Almost like he has read his mind, there's a lemon in it this time. "Aside from  _ that _ , I can tell you're affected a lot by it. But, I wish I could help too, it's just, it's not really a time for you to step into their thing, you know."

"I know. Thank you Kihyun, for listening and all."

"Just because I'm a vampire doesn't mean you should fear me. I'm helpful; believe it or not." Kihyun pouts, too cutely for Changkyun's heart. He's going to start melting like butter. "Hungry? I don't want you to get full off of lemons and water."

_ Right… How many glasses has he had already? Six? He lost count.  _ "It's a uh, new diet, ya know. A healthy one."

"Can you stand?" 

"It's only my neck that's sore. I'm not in a cast or anything." Changkyun throws the blankets off of him and swings his feet around. "Though, can I request a piggyback ride for this fragile patient of yours?"

"See you in the kitchen when you're finished." Kihyun turns around and heads for the door. "It's down stairs and on the right just past the living room."

_ Ah! W--wait!!  _ Changkyun moves quickly to chase Kihyun down. "Hold up! I never told what I wanted to eat. Beef! Beef stroganoff!"

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!!!
> 
> Don't forget to use the tag on Twitter #AfterDarkAO3 if there's a part you like or want to give feedback there!! And thank you for any comments on this chapter!!


	5. Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes people share the same pain despite being different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!WARNING: Slight homophobia in the end.

It's a brutal feeling but stepping on a Lego seems tolerable than being bit by a vampire. Both are painful, but one outweighs the other even though he doesn't want both to happen. Yet, Kihyun says some take pleasure out of it, so either they're masochistic or they're messed up in the head, or both. Maybe over time Changkyun would get used to the feeling if he gets bit enough times but, the question is: Will Changkyun actually enjoy it? Seems very unlikely. 

The pain from the bite subsided, but of course it's still visible. And it looks pretty bad too; bad like a venomous snake latched onto his neck. The plus side was that it didn't itch all that bad or create rash so there's a plus side; he assumes. However the spot is red. Basically trying to make good out of a not so excitable interaction. Hell, it was so awkward Changkyun wishes he could turn back time to have a redo. Not saying he would like to get bit again, but would travel back in time to fix things up. Might as well make a scrapbook of all the embarrassing moments shared with Kihyun; they're starting to pile up. 

Changkyun pulls on the neck of the turtleneck, the feeling almost choking him. Considering how it's October, the weather isn't near warm as fog covers the tops of the trees and mountains that surround the town. While yes, the mornings and some afternoons had it's hot spots, they never lasted long. Maybe buying a scarf could also help his case considering it'll hide his neck just as much or more; Changkyun isn't really a turtleneck addict kind of guy. Besides, Halloween is coming up soon, it gets numbing around that time. Fitting for the time of year but, it's a little unbearable. At least one day you get free candy. Which reminds Changkyun…  _ if you shouldn't take candy from strangers, then why go to strangers houses for free candy on Halloween?  _ Whatever, it's too late to be thinking about this. 

Surprisingly, Changkyun thought wearing a turtleneck would bring him more attention but it didn't seem to phase anyone. Maybe if he wore it a few days in a row then his close friends would begin to take note. That, or some asshole narbo would probably joke and yell to the whole school body with  _ 'Hey! Is Changkyun wearing a lot of turtlenecks because he's hiding the hickey's he gets every week?' _ . Which even if that did happen, well, they wouldn't be wrong. While his bite was not only red, but it was covered in a massive amount of hickeys. Changkyun dips his hand into the neck of his shirt to feel it against his skin. It almost feels rough? A little sensitive to the touch. The bite and everything around it only hurts if it's messed with and Changkyun keeps looking at it like how a cat looks at a fish. Just with less wanting and more like, 'what the fuck'.

A heavy sigh passes Changkyun's lips as he presses his body deeper into the cushion of his couch, sucking him in. There's only a few more minutes until Magnum P.I. comes on to view Tom Selleck's wonderful piece of a mustache, and Changkyun wasn't sure if he could last that long. He's starting to believe there were some side effects to vampire bites that Kihyun didn't mention like drowsiness. Was this a drug trial and he was a test subject? The Guinea Pig of the group?

His eyes drift to the clock, wishing Minhyuk had come over but he went to go with Hyungwon to buy something. Yesterday was walkmans, today was something else that Changkyun doesn't even remember. He was practically out of commission listening to Hyungwon and Minhyuk talk and ramble at the lunch table. The bite hurt too much throughout the day to the point Changkyun doesn't recall sleeping in class or not. It was one of those moments feeling like you had slept but also not.

As if the universe understood his boredom, Magnum P.I. comes onto the television and a small smile unconsciously appears on Changkyun's face. _Finally some good fucking shit. _Everytime it comes on Changkyun feels more masculine, like he's grown a mustache that fits him just right and looks great on him. Tom Selleck was Changkyun's role model, always inspired to be like him; how strong he was and how he handled situations and also so charming. Just with not a hairy chest of course, that wasn't his thing. Hair on the head was Changkyun's type of thing. He would rather run his hands through someone's hair than chest hair. _Okay, weird thoughts over. _

Staring at the television makes Changkyun's soul come out of his body and cause a skip in his train of thoughts. He's seen this before right? No he hasn't. Has he? This scene of Tom Selleck running on the grass by a big lake with a flock of white birds flying away and fills the screen. This can't be right, right?  _ Oh no, it can't be.  _

"It's a rerun? But for what purpose? There's not a new one?" Changkyun snatches the tv guide and flips through it until he reaches today's date. Nothing, nothing in the fine print says there were going to be any reruns. The only other info were synopses of pilot episodes for new shows, but nothing about a rerun. "This is so warped. Now what am I going to do for today? No Minhyuk and no new episode, not even the energy to get food. Please have something good happen today so I'm less bored."

"You called? Something good is here upon request." Like a gopher from the ground, Kihyun appears sitting next to Changkyun on the couch of his living room. He's bundled up in a zipped up jacket with a scarf wrapped around his neck and–  _ is that Changkyun's juice? His favorite wild cherry Caprisun? Yo, what the hell? _

"The doors are locked, how did you get in? And how did you find those? When did you—" Changkyun twists his face at the uninvited invited guest in his home; weird how that works.

"Did what I had done when I came here the first time after you accepted my invitation. Locked doors don't get in my way. I'm like a spider; I still find my way in the house." 

Changkyun knows Kihyun is trying to create an example but to Changkyun, that example has to be the worst. He doesn't want to know that spiders come inside his house either. It's something that should not be utterly spoken about. 

"That's a little too much info there. Please use the door or a method that doesn't scare me." Changkyun sinks back into the couch, his favorite position, already accepting that Kihyun is here.

"Any donuts for me?" Kihyun asks and he clutches the now empty Caprisun packet. It sucks up air after drinking the last drops; the noise is excruciating. "Mhm, that's a new donut I smell; it's chocolate, but not like the other one's I've had or smelt. I'm excited."

"You're only here to eat my food? Why did I even bother thinking you were going to keep me company." Changkyun cutely pouts, batting his eyes fighting away invisible tears.

"Aw, don't be sad. As a guest shouldn't I at least be properly fed before I start to please you." Changkyun doesn't realize it when his face heats up at Kihyun's sentence.  _ Stop it, brain. Stop.  _ "But I'm also seeing how you're doing. I need to check up on you and make sure you're safe after I bit you." Kihyun faces the television as he watches a man with a nice looking mustache walk down the beach without a shirt.  _ That's a pretty nice mustache. Kihyun approves.  _ "And because you have food for me." 

"More like you make sure I have food for you or else something bad happens. Isn't Wonho home?" Changkyun questions, biting a fingernail. "Doesn't he cook?"

"He does." In a quick flash, a familiar box of Krispy Kreme donuts sit on his lap. The minute that the box opens is when Kihyun's eyes light in excitement. It's basically Christmas whenever Kihyun can get his hands on some donuts. Though, the brightness seems to have hit an error once Kihyun's face questions what is in front of him. Filled donuts? He hates those! What are they doing in the box?

"Some of these donuts don't have holes in them. You hate me eating donuts so much that you get me the ones without holes?" 

Changkyun laughs, changing the channel because he doesn't need a rerun. "You don't think the filled ones are good?"

"I mean, they're not my favorite." Kihyun pouts, picking up a cookies & cream donut. He twirls it around in question, never seeing one before. It had chocolate and smelled of it too, but there was a creamy white glaze and cookie crumbles on top to finish. Donuts are sweet but this was too sweet. Kihyun hadn't even taken a bite and he felt like one would be enough. It looks great though, heavenly even. But more than one could send you to the hospital if it had the chance.

Kihyun takes a bite, shutting his eyes tight and as sweetness spreads across his taste buds. It's super sugary, almost makes his teeth ache and he lifts up a hand to cup the side of his cheek. If Kihyun dies, it's because of this. Not in a fight with a vampire or something to be remembered for, it's this.

"Okay, you made it clear." Kihyun swallows his bite and places it back into the box. It's not that it was bad, but it's just not his taste. "You officially hate me. Please say it to my face next time instead of giving me the news this way."

"Why are you so dramatic?" Changkyun chuckles. He reaches for the donut that Kihyun doesn't finish. This was the first time in a while that he's eaten one since Kihyun came into town. Changkyun's first bite is gruesome by how big it is as cookies fall on the couch and the donut box.  _ Woah, that is sweet. Who decided this was a good idea.  _ Changkyun almost gags trying to swallow. It's thick, he needs water to wash it down.

Kihyun laughs, picking up a glazed donut. "Dramatic much?" Kihyun mocks as he takes a bite, his laugh hiding in the donut. There we go, that glazed original goodness. 

"Oh hush before I make you eat this." Changkyun waves the donut of death as more cookie crumbles fall off. He picks them up and pops them in his mouth. 

"What kind of animals are in town? I saw some deer walking around the street." Kihyun blurts out, as he takes some of the fallen cookie crumbles and tosses it in his mouth. He admits that the cookies are good. "They're adorable to the point that I really want to touch them but I know they'll kick me. Probably kill me."

"Oh yeah be careful around them. When we were kids Jooheon, Minhyuk and I would have a contest to see how close we could get to them. Needless to say, we had to come up with a lousy excuse as to why Jooheon's arm was broken."

Kihyun blinks and his eyes fly open. "He broke his arm? What the hell did you guys do?"

"Got too close and once it started to chase us we headed for the hills." Changkyun takes a huge bite of a jelly creme donut. He licks at the corner of his mouth when he feels the strawberry jelly stick. "So then we all climbed a fence and as soon as we got onto the other side Jooheon fell down wrong and broke his arm." 

"What was the excuse?" 

"A ghost beat him up and pushed him down a hill." 

Kihyun laughs and instantly regrets. He feels bad but of course, Jooheon is still alive and okay. The thought in his head was pretty funny in a way. "I mean, it could work for some people."

"Anything we did that was bad, we blamed it on the ghosts because you couldn't see them do malicious things." Changkyun snorts as the memories flood his head. They're so vivid with how Jooheon had that ugly short hair that his younger brother cut for him and then Minhyuk always would show up with a new band-aid on him. "So we thought since ghosts always get away with things, our kid brains thought they would be easy to blame." 

"Aw, how mean. Such bullies blaming it on the poor ghosts." Kihyun shakes his head, watching how Changkyun touches his neck and he frowns.  _ Poor thing.  _ He knows how much it must have hurt and how nervous Changkyun had been who still sought through it. So far, he seemed to be doing well and wasn't in pain yet, Kihyun couldn't help but worry. It's honestly been all he's doing.

Kihyun scoots closer and tilts his head, catching Changkyun's attention. "Hey, how's your bite? Do you have any irritation?" 

"It's not as bad as it was yesterday. I'm feeling tired a lot more; is that normal?”

To be honest, Kihyun isn't really too sure what to do. Since Changkyun was his first willing human, he didn't really think there would be any after effects other than the bite would be there until it heals. The only other thing Kihyun can possibly rely upon is basic knowledge on blood loss. He knows it not serious though which will put Changkyun more at ease. 

“You don’t feel dizzy or anything do you?” Kihyun moves even closer to Changkyun without warning and slides the turtleneck down to examine the bite.  _ Okay Kihyun, you're a little too close and a little too touchy there.  _ Everyday Changkyun has seen him, he always smells nice which is calming. It's a new lighter smell, similar to Kihyun's turtleneck that Changkyun is wearing. “I know I didn’t take a lot of blood from you so I don’t think it’s anemia or anything like that. My take is that you’re not really used to the feeling of it all.”

“How much would have been too much?”

Kihyun taps his chin, pulling slightly away. Changkyun catches himself almost frowning.  _ Why?  _ “I would say to the point if you had passed out. Yesterday you only felt sleepy because you would have just gone limp on me if I drank too much. You still were able to hold a conversation and were cognizant of your surroundings.” 

“Do you have like vampire itch cream or anything because I feel like the turtleneck irritates the area.” Changkyun isn't shy to pull down and stretch the fabric down his shoulders. The spot on his neck is a faint strawberry–red, almost as if he'd been slapped a couple of times. Kihyun coos in disappointment as he puts a hand on Changkyun's shoulder, moving it to examine from another closer angle. 

“It is a little red…” Whispers Kihyun. "I'm pretty sure it'll heal. And no, we don't have a vampire itch cream." Kihyun chuckles, patting Changkyun cheek. "I say treat it as a normal bug bit. Take some cream maybe and rub it on the area or take some medicine." 

"Hm~" Changkyun contemplates, staring at Kihyun's scarf tassels. "Would it get better? The pain of it all?"

"That's kind of hard to say. I would say if I bit you enough times you'd end up feeling less pain, but the after effects will always arrive." There's an apologetic look on Kihyun's face that's tossed Changkyun's way. There's a sigh that leaves Changkyun after hearing the sentence. It's good and bad news thrown to him. "I know, it sucks. Thank you for still offering yourself despite you know; everything." 

Changkyun nods his head. After getting bit, he doesn't know what to think about it anymore. Should he see a pleasure or excitement in it? What would be easier on him to ease the hurt and pain? Changkyun realizes that while Kihyun is feeding off of him, there are other vampires and either way, people are still dying. He can't help that; there's no way around it. 

"Thanks for taking care of me. I didn't think you would be so worried and attentive. It made me happy and relieved." 

Kihyun smiles, almost a little too wide at the compliment. His fingers gravitate to messing with the tassels of his scarf. He's done something right and he's glad for it because once again, the last thing Kihyun wants to do is lose Changkyun's trust. For a human to stay this long with him, Kihyun can't help but feel giddy about that. He hopes to make sure that he keeps Changkyun happy. 

"That's a pretty cute scarf; I like your outfit today." Changkyun points out, also grabbing the ends to feel the strands brush against his fingers. It's soft, smooth like he couldn't keep his hands off of it. Though, Kihyun has been wearing it since he arrived. "You know that you can take your scarf off right? Did you want me to turn on the heater if you're cold? I could even bring out a blanket."

"Hm?" Kihyun gives a toothless smile, eyes wide and almost innocent. “I mean, I’m not cold but if you are I don’t mind you wanting me to hold you again.” Kihyun plays. The sentence throws Changkyun off the right track in his brain. There's also a part that makes him want to agree because he doesn't remember how it felt the last time. Kihyun grabs Changkyun's hands like it had been glass and holds them away from his scarf. "But it's alright. The scarf keeps me warm because it's a bit chilly."

_ Okay that's weird. Didn't Changkyun offer the heater and a blanket?  _

"Yes, I'm aware of what the scarf does but you don't want to take it off? I said I have a heater. And trust me when I say that it's better than the scarf."

Kihyun shakes his head. "I like my scarf better. Really, I'm okay thank you." His insistence is alarming, still caging Changkyun's hands with his own; it makes Changkyun pout. He's beginning to notice when Kihyun had something up his sleeve. Not to be too obvious in his theory, Changkyun reaches to poke a mole that Kihyun has a little under his eye.  _ That's cute. _

Kihyun shoots a confused look as to why Changkyun's finger is on his face but he doesn't say anything. From this reaction, Changkyun lifts his finger to only poke it again, this time with a small almost inaudible sound from his mouth. His finger turns to lightly pinch Kihyun's cheek. In the meantime, Kihyun just blinks and waits for Changkyun to say something or do something that let's him interact or talk. Distracted enough perhaps, Changkyun quickly moves his hand to Kihyun's neck and pulls on the scarf. 

There's a scream that emits that's in two different pitches and coming from two different people. Changkyun knew something was up, he knew it! Kihyun knows Changkyun has already seen it but he uses his strength to grip Changkyun's wrist in place. 

"No! It's not what you think!" Kihyun almost screeches. 

"Oh, Kihyun!" Changkyun huffs. The scarf was actually hiding Kihyun's neck that hid a turtleneck.  _ You slick little– _ "I said no turtlenecks! You have to start wearing normal clothes! Even Wonho said so!"

"Hey, at least I tried something new!" Kihyun whines and let's go of Changkyun's hands, leaning into the couch in dejection. He folds his arms and sticks the straw from his Caprisun in his mouth to chew. "I wore a zipper sweater jacket and not a coat, I deserve some redemption." 

"Well, I don't see a bite on  _ your  _ neck."

"Either way, turtleneck or not I will still look good."

"Oh my god," Changkyun rolls his eyes so hard they almost fall out. He gets up, decides to grab a drink of water. He feels hot. On fire to the point he could possibly melt tungsten; melting point hot. Changkyun fans himself. "I can't believe you." 

"Mhm, keep talking over there wandering eyes. If you lost something it ain't on me, I see where those eyes are looking." 

Changkyun whips back around. If Changkyun turns any hotter in the ears and neck, the fire department is about to be called. "Did you indirectly say I'm constantly checking out?" 

"I don't know. What do your ears say?" Kihyun laughs when Changkyun covers them and runs further into the kitchen.  _ Water. Now.  _ He can get it from the sink for all he cares; probably take a jump into the shower Changkyun needs water so bad. 

He fishes out a cold bottle from the fridge to chug it down, gulping loudly like his life depended on it. It helps considering that sweet donut he ate which even though Changkyun kept eating, it wasn't pleasant. The way he gulps drips down his chin and onto his shirt. A big satisfied exhale leaves his lungs once his lips leave the bottle. He fans himself some more for good measure. 

Changkyun wipes his face with the back of his hand as he moves back to the couch. _Oh right, Kihyun is here. He should have something to drink too_ _(besides Changkyun)._ Changkyun grabs a second bottle, handing it over to him.

"Better?" Kihyun smirks at Changkyun's arrival as he licks his fingers before grabbing another donut. He grabs the water with thankfulness, setting it beside him.

"Why yes, thank you." Changkyun lifts his chin high as he sits down. He ignores the stare that Kihyun gives him which is mixed with a sly smile and trying not to laugh. If Changkyun doesn't see it, then it's not there.

He looks at the last three donuts which all look scrumptious. One being the classic glaze, the other a maple and lastly the chocolate sprinkles of goodness. It's hard to decide considering each has their own tasteful touch, but Changkyun's eyes gravitate more to the glaze. Despite that, he really can't decide on just one.  _ But that glazed though. It's calling his name. _

"Here." Kihyun grabs the glazed like a fucking magician and hands it over to Changkyun. He had to be a mind reader. He just had to be. And as if it couldn't get any creepier, Kihyun laughs and shakes his head. "Stop that. I'm not a mind reader alright."

"That really didn't help your case. You now gave me the evidence to solidify my verdict." Changkyun looks at him in a strange, mysterious awe. "But, how do you do that? Can vampires like sense minds? Wait, scratch that, that made no sense. You said you have no powers other than running but I'm feeling like you're hiding all the cool things a vampire can do." 

"If that was the case you'd see me frolic on my lawn humming and talking about how great the sun feels on my back if being a vampire was all rainbow and sunshine." Kihyun picks up the chocolate sprinkles and takes a bite. He loves the taste of chocolate on a donut. "Besides, I talk badly about it practically everyday. If we had any cool tricks, trust me when I say that I would do them everyday." Kihyun picks up a television guide and shifts through it. The corners are torn slightly and the pages are a little worn from how many times it's been flipped through. "The sun does feel  _ really  _ good though. I would give my body and soul to the sun. Oh wait, didn't the Aztecs do that?" Kihyun's history tutor brain mode flashes on. 

"Heyyyyy~ tell me, tell me." Changkyun shakes Kihyun's scarf. It almost tightens around his neck. "I want to know if you can read my thoughts, especially the messy ones at two in the morning." 

"Of course not." Kihyun never lifts his eyes off of the tv guide booklet, not recognizing anything on there; he reads it anyway. He reads the little paragraph about certain shows. "Your expressions tell what you're thinking. Mostly your eyes or hands."

Changkyun touches his faces.  _ Was he really that much of an open book?  _ "R– really? Can you do that with only me or is it the same with others too?"

"Pretty much almost everyone. For example, how yesterday when you wanted water." Kihyun pushes forward as he finally looks up from the television guide. "When I gave you lemon water your face scrunched up with a frown and that told me you didn't like it. Then when I gave you just water you looked at the glass as if something was missing, so I added the lemon back in." 

"My face…" Changkyun can't help but touch it as Kihyun continues. He's wondering what else he's been so expressive about that Kihyun has probably laughed at when he wasn't looking.  _ And he thought Kihyun was the sea otter.  _

"Your eyes and lips tell certain things and so does the way you move your hands. How you bit my shoulder and clutched my hand to handle the pain. I knew it was slightly painful by the way your body moved. Simple really." 

The memory makes Changkyun feel hot and he tugs on the collar of his turtleneck. Kihyun notices and tries his hardest to not comment and laugh. Changkyun can be so easy to read, yet so hard to find out it makes Kihyun interested as to what he'll see next. 

"Speaking of yesterday," Changkyun grabs the end of Kihyun's scarf once again. It's soft, softer than his carpet. It's one of those textures that he can't stop touching. Reminds him of those couches where you wipe one way and it changes the texture. "How much blood would I donate to the Kihyun society? Like until you're hungry again or is this like a weekly appointment?" Changkyun probes, crossing his legs.

_ Kihyun society _ . Kihyun can't help but laugh. "I'll have cravings but every time I'll be asking for your consent. So no, there's no scheduled date appointments. It's whenever you feel ready. It's your body that I'll be feeding from." 

Changkyun appreciates how considerate Kihyun is with him giving blood and all, it amazes him. He can be so caring and worried for your well being that it makes Changkyun think how he can be a vampire at all. There was only one encounter with a bad vampire on the sidewalk, and television views them as evil. It makes Changkyun all the more curious. 

"How are you a vampire?" Changkyun can't help but ask. 

"Really? Want me to bite you again." Kihyun sneers, leaning a little too close. Today for Kihyun is a break your space bubble day. "Maybe then you can be sure that I am one. Nom nom." 

"That's not what I mean you rat." Changkyun swats at Kihyun's knee. "You said something about being bitten before and referenced that you were once human. It wasn't directly stated except for maybe once, but you've implied it as well. I'm curious as to how you don't have some type of revenge or that you didn't turn into some dickheaded vampire that has no emotions."

Kihyun's face drops like the temperature, eyes cold and dark. For what seems like the first time, he doesn't finish the donut that's in his hand (besides that other sweet one he didn't like) and sets it down back in the box.  _ Right.  _ Does Changkyun have to know about his past? He brushes his hair away from his face and keeps a tight lip. 

"You're not wrong. I was human but not for very long." Kihyun tells, picking off some of the sprinkles. "I was turned when I was a kid and the turning process doesn't feel pleasant. If you think the bite hurts, transforming into a vampire feels like a living hell and the blood lust is terrible. It's something I feel like being skinned alive would feel like."

"Ouch. That sounds like a transformation into a werewolf." 

Kihyun taps his chin, folding his arms in the process. "I think werewolves have it harder than vampires if I had to give it some thought. To fully transform and all we do is have our faces change, there's a vast difference. Of course, both have more their cons than pros." 

"Ever think about an evolution for vampires?" Changkyun asks and rolls the bottom Kihyun's scarf like a cinnamon roll. His hands won't stop playing with the thing. 

"What do you mean?"

"Like you say before you can't drink animal blood because it could make you sick. What about vampire blood? Or do you think one day you'll be immune to animal blood." 

"Well, about that…" Kihyun starts, casting his eyes down and joins Changkyun in playing with the ends of his scarf. "That's mostly something intimate. It brings two vampires closer together and creates some sort of sacred bond. Of course I'm not going to do that because I'm not  _ that  _ close with any vampires." He lets out a dry laugh and pinches the bridge of his nose for a quick second. "However, I know Hyuna and Edawn do that since they're together. I haven't seen them in a long, long while."

"Can you still get strong?"

"I think so?" Kihyun says as he lifts up a brow. He wraps a finger around at the end of the scarf. "I never really hear about two vampires feeding off one another. They're used to human blood because they prefer that more because of how good and sometimes how sweet it can taste." Kihyun looks up and exhales. "Though, if there was an evolution to where we have more choices, that would be amazing."

Changkyun leans in, whispering despite being alone with Kihyun in his own home. "Does it taste bad at first or like because you're a vampire it doesn't really matter?"

"It's gross, super gross when you've just turned. I couldn't keep it down at first but at the same time my body needed it, so I also wanted it at the same time." Kihyun confesses, his voice quiet. He doesn't feel like remembering but it does feel nice to get it off his chest. Of course it's not everything, but there's a lot that's weighing on his chest. "Over time you do get used to it and have no choice but to do so. Over time it just subsides and then you can drink it and not feel bothered. After a while it'll start tasting good." 

Changkyun looks down, not knowing what else to ask. It's like learning about someone else's culture, there's still so much he doesn't know. Everytime the two of them talk about vampire life, it gets to an awkward point that makes both of them unsure what to say next. Though, Changkyun doesn't want to pry too much and he knows it can be difficult to remember sometimes. 

He looks at the box donuts, one final maple and a half eaten chocolate sprinkle. Changkyun thinks about bringing up the mood a little since Kihyun has gone silent. Everytime Kihyun comes here, he never eats real food; that's got to change. There's not much in the fridge or cupboards but if Changkyun looks good enough, he might be able to cook something easy and edible. 

"Hey!" Changkyun exclaims as he stands. Kihyun looks up at the sudden movement and stops playing with his scarf. "You said you wanted to be more human right? Well, I got something here for you." Changkyun speaks and continues to do so before Kihyun can get a word of disagreement in. "These I'm sure weren't in your time but they're called video games. This right here is a Game Boy." Changkyun moves the box of donuts that are between them both in exchange for the Game Boy so he could move closer. Grabbing Kihyun's hand, Changkyun places them in the spot they need to be so he can get a feel for the buttons and controls. "These ones make you move up, down, left or right. And these two: A and B are actions." 

In Kihyun's hand is a small box-like machine with a tiny screen and only three buttons to play, two tiny ones at the bottom. The screen lights green with the word Nintendo on it that slides down the screen before it makes a loud sound. Soon, music plays with new words at the top in big letters spell Tetris. Already, Kihyun feels really confused as he stares at the game. He's heard of games but never found an interest in them. 

"Do these go the same way each time?" Kihyun asks, his thumb pressing the up button. "Is this going to be easy? The name alone sounds really hard."

"For question one: It depends on what you play. And for question two: it depends on your skill level in games. Since you're extremely new then I would say a little hard." Changkyun explains. Once Kihyun tries about three or four different games down, Changkyun believes it'll be easier from there. "Like this one here, Tetris, which I say is pretty easy on the surface but it'll actually fuck up your head a little." Changkyun is unknowingly close, his chin practically almost sitting on Kihyun's shoulder. He presses for the game to only be set to one player and it changes once again.

The screen displays the game type and music type which Changkyun doesn't feel like explaining considering how it's basically only settings. He puts the level at zero and before they move forward, Changkyun turns back to Kihyun. 

"All you do is make the shapes fit into one another using these buttons. If they're not in a way you want them, just use this one to turn the shape and this one to move where you want it to be before it hits the bottom or other shapes." Changkyun moves the first few pieces for Kihyun. He's not good at explaining things for other people but he's really good at doing the thing. It's like when he's in geometry; Changkyun can do the work no problem, but when he teaches ppl, he tends to mess up under the pressure of the person watching him. 

"I think I got it? What's the point of the game? What is the point of this all? Do I get a prize in the end?" 

_ Uhm. Well. Yes and no?  _ Changkyun isn't too sure how to explain that he won't get an actual prize. It's mostly for entertainment and to stave off the boredom. He guesses. Kihyun shakes the screen as if something were to come out of it if he did so, which of course, nothing does. 

"It doesn't really work that way. But if you win, you get the gratification of winning!" 

"It feels like a waste of time then if there's nothing physical coming out of it." Kihyun frowns as the game keeps going. The shapes are close to hitting the top and he's about to lose. "Can you get me some garlic bread if I win?" 

"Okay, sure, why not." Changkyun moves to restart the game for Kihyun as his face lights up. "If you lose, just restart. Get to level three and I'll treat you to some garlic bread."

Kihyun shakes his head excitedly and off he goes into playing the game. His fingers move around stumbling over the controls, eyes now trained on the screen. Changkyun moves away from Kihyun, and moves his way to the kitchen. He thinks he has garlic bread from the spaghetti he made about two weeks ago. Though, it's most likely frozen considering he's had longer than Kihyun has been here. Though when he thinks about it that way, that's gross; sounds old.

But has Kihyun been eating  _ actual _ food lately besides blood? The only thing he's eaten was the food court spaghetti, but even that wasn't eaten all the way. He took a bite and decided that was it, so what else has he eaten? He wonders if there's anything that Kihyun can eat considering it looks like he doesn't.

Changkyun finds some cheese and bread. Grilled cheese sandwiches are tasty with some tomato soup. That or some mac and cheese; those were always go-to foods for Changkyun when he didn't feel like eating a lot. Changkyun has to feed Kihyun. Even though blood is the thing that keeps him going, he can still eat food. He should take advantage of it.

"Hey, need anything else? I can whip up something quick. You have to eat, you know." Changkyun yells as he shuffles through the cupboard. He's not the best cook, but he's better than McDonald's and if you're better than McDonald's, well, you're a five-star chef in his book. "Kihyun?" There's no response except for the small noises the buttons made on the Game Boy. 

Changkyun makes his way back to the living room to see Kihyun engrossed by the game. He's still on level zero but his score is at two hundred and has gotten two lines cleared.

Kihyun doesn't move his head to look at Changkyun like he usually does when a presence is sensed, and he doesn't plan to turn around anytime soon either. 

"Kihyun." Changkyun reiterates. Kihyun hums. "Do you want some grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup?"

Another hum leaves Kihyun.

"Kihyun."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm listening." Kihyun promptly says, eyes glued to the tiny screen as the small shapes fit into one another then disappear after he gets a row complete. His points are up three hundred sixty–one now.

"Awesome, glad to hear it. What did I say then?"

Kihyun hums.  _ Okay this isn't going anywhere.  _

"Hey, Donut Boy." 

Changkyun reacts by leaning down and poking Kihyun’s side for not listening to him. Kihyun's body twists as his butt lifts off the ground in a jump and lets out a yelp, dropping the Game Boy. It makes Changkyun laugh because for a vampire, Kihyun doesn't seem like the type to be so jumpy. Kihyun quickly turns and swats Changkyun’s hand away. He moves to poke him back hard through the sweater. He freaks out, realizing the game isn't in his hands anymore as the screen reads game over.

_ Now he won't get his garlic bread! _ Kihyun was close, so, so close and he's upset! He actually wasn't that close seeing as he was still on level zero, but damn it, he wanted some garlic bread. Kihyun reminds himself not to handle Changkyun too rough or else he’ll snap like a graham cracker. He pulls on his hand, dragging him down to the floor to squeeze both of Changkyun's sides. There's a laugh that chokes out of Changkyun, realizing he fucked himself over knowing Kihyun is way stronger than he is, and he regrets ever poking the scary sea otter. 

Changkyun grasps the air to reach for the legs off his living room table, hands wrapping around the legs for stability. He screams when Kihyun grabs a hold of one of his legs, his hands clasping around Changkyun's knee to pull him. Changkyun thinks his leg might actually come off at some point. 

"You're going to give my ass carpet burn, I apologize!"

Kihyun let's go, still not satisfied with the outcome and not getting his award of garlic toast. He sits back down, picking up the Game Boy to restart in order to redeem himself. He still has a chance to get to level three and he's determined to taste the buttery, garlicky sensation. Changkyun lays down to catch his breath and bask in the air he can finally inhale. Though, he still feels like a fish out of water. He turns his head to watch Kihyun engrossed in his Game Boy that it makes him snort at the concentrated look on Kihyun's face. There's a small pout in his lips, eyebrows tight together as if he was on level nine. 

Changkyun sits up, ruffling his own hair and lightly pushes on Kihyun's shoulder, but unexpectedly, Kihyun lightly smacks his hand on Changkyun's cheeks and pinches them. There’s a whine that leaves his lips at the pressure. Changkyun's cheeks are pinch and squish worthy. Kihyun drops the Game Boy to cup Changkyun's face and scrunches up like a fish. Changkyun mimics.

“You little ankle-biter.” Kihyun gargles. It's hard to talk when his face is sandwiched between two hands. "I'm trying to play your stupid game for some food."

“I’ll show you ankle-biter if you don’t watch it.”

“You’re basically proving my point if you do that.”

Changkyun pouts, moving his hand to poke Kihyun once more but luck wasn’t on his side this time; Kihyun has intercepted. Kihyun grabs a hold on Changkyun's hand, pinning it to the floor as he works his way to tickle him. Changkyun's first instinct is to roll himself into a ball in hopes to trap Kihyun's hands but there's no use. Kihyun has found other places to tickle and poke Changkyun to a point where he might do something bad. 

"Stop! Please!" Changkyun laughs to the point nothing comes out except for air. More like sucking in the air to breathe from the ticklish feeling that's running through his body. "I'm going to puke. Please!" Changkyun wheezes through his laugh, trying to make his brain process his next sentence of begging Kihyun to stop but he can barely even think. Kihyun can't help but laugh with Changkyun in the process.

"You made me lose, TWICE! I can't even eat my garlic bread. I need my reward!" 

"I'll give it!" Changkyun cried. If he could put up his hands he would, but that's kind of impossible for him right now. "I'll give it! You win! You win in my heart!"

Changkyun weakly raises a hand to lightly push Kihyun off of him, using the tap method on the shoulder. If the tap is a way to communicate  _ 'stop' _ in other situations than biting, it could work here. He taps repeatedly on Kihyun's shoulder. Kihyun glances at the movement, remembering Changkyun's words from yesterday and pulls away.  _ It works!!  _ Kihyun's hands stop moving across his body and the tickle sensation starts to subside.  _ It actually worked!! _ Instead, Kihyun lays down beside Changkyun and forgets about the Game Boy; it was fun while it lasted. Somewhat. 

They lay on their backs side by side on the floor, breathing hard as their eyes and brains slowly become less fuzzy. There’s a thought that pops into Kihyun’s mind once more; how whenever Changkyun acts like this, he’s comfortable with him. It wasn’t a threat or anything like an attack, but a playful action that he’s always wished on having with another human. He needs to remember that. Maybe, they both need some sort of assistance in their lives; different but both wanting some sort of validation.

Changkyun turns his head to Kihyun after he catches his breath.

"Do you think I should grow a mustache?" 

  
  
  
  
  
  


It's a few hours later until Kihyun makes his leave and Changkyun walks him out. In the end, he didn't get to the third level, but he did get his garlic bread. Apparently, a new thing that Kihyun now likes are grilled cheese sandwiches, extra cheese with spreadable butter on the top. 

"See, if you keep this up, I might have to reward you every week."

"Don't bribe me." Kihyun pouts. In his hands hold Changkyun's Game Boy; he's grown a little attached to the thing over the past few hours. "If I beat the high score you did I get more donuts."

"Hm, I'll think about that. You've been eating too many sweets, I'll reward you with something else that's nutritious." Kihyun grins widely, a smart look planted on his face. "Nuh uh, no biting Mister." Changkyun points in his face. 

"Saw right through me didn't you. I like teasing you with bites."

"That sounded totally different in my head, please calm down." Changkyun massages his temple. 

"That's your problem, not mine." Kihyun shakes his head, starting to leave the front porch. "Wait." 

Kihyun turns back around as one hand grabs Changkyun's shoulder and the other slightly pulls down the collar of his turtleneck. The unexpected touch makes Changkyun stiff up as Kihyun leans closer, sharp nose soon brushing against his skin and lips slightly graze against him. A hot breath hits him and the familiar heat travels through Changkyun's body. He sucks in a breath and he feels embarrassed knowing Kihyun can read him easily, but that doesn't stop him from grabbing Kihyun's forearm. It isn't long before Kihyun pulls back and it leaves him wanting more.  _ Is that normal?  _

"W-wha–"

"Leaving my scent to scare away other vampires. Can't let them have what's mine." Kihyun grins again, purposefully in innocence as he flashes a toothless smile. 

_ You smooth fucker. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Why is when you're looking for someone when you need them they're all of a sudden gone with no trace. When the person is right in front of you, for some odd reason you don't need them at that moment. It's annoying. Changkyun has to ask around if people have seen Minhyuk because the only option was to use the intercom but, he would like to avoid that. He saw him walk down the hall with Hyungwon and Jooheon most likely was somewhere Minhyuk wasn't. If he moves too much around the school looking, then Minhyuk could be in the spot Changkyun just checked. 

The conversation he had with Kihyun about two days ago did put Changkyun at ease a little and helped lessen his worries as a friend. Though, there were some things that still decided to bother him because that's just how he was. He could never help but worry. If it wasn't about one thing, it would be about another thing and go on to worry about that. Changkyun's brain couldn't stop worrying. That's his friend, there's always going to be times where he wants to make sure his friends are okay. Even Jooheon but he's been harder and harder to find lately and won't even pick up his house phone.

Changkyun closes his locker, sighing at the position he's in. Kihyun told him to not pick sides, yet, he still feels stuck in the middle. He's glad he has someone to talk to but, even if it eases himself a little, there's the remaining leftovers of wishing he could do more. For now, Changkyun decides to stay on the side and let Jooheon and Minhyuk somehow sort things out and give it some time. They'll be friends again. Changkyun feels it can be that way again. He needs to stop feeling like he's in the middle.

There in the distance Changkyun can see Minhyuk's strawberry-blonde hair full of hairspray and his iconic sunglasses that make a comeback.  _ Good _ ; Minhyuk has his sunglasses on, that's a good thing in Changkyun's book. Beside him he sees Hyungwon with his long black hair and plus, he's tall,  _ real tall.  _ It makes him stand out in the crowd alongside Minhyuk. With Changkyun successfully making them out in the crowd of sardine–school kids, he makes his way over until there's a tap on his shoulder. It makes Changkyun spin around and comes face to face with a buddy of his from a class he had last year; Shownu. His big, rounded glasses reflecting off the school hallways lights and his freckles on full display. The school body considered him to not be a nerd as he dressed well in shorts and polo shirts and his big build had girls crushing over him. Worked out for sure, and if Changkyun said something rude, Shownu would crush his head like a melon. However, he knows Shownu couldn't, he's a huge cute softie. Changkyun thought he would be a jock with a body like that but, surprisingly he wasn't.

"Hey, hey! Why isn't there any beautiful girl in computer science?" Shownu smiles in bounced excitement. 

Changkyun thinks for a second and shrugs. "I don't know why?"

"Because they're all 0's and 1's!" Shownu cracks up and his shoulders bounce with his laugh.  _ Did Changkyun forget he was also a big computer science nerd.  _

"That's a pretty good one. Make sure if you're looking to hook up that you avoid that one. All the pretty girls will start hanging around the stupid jocks more."

"Yeah right, honestly girls only want to get inside your pants for popularity. For example, that one girl, Jenny. Gross. It's harsh out there man. Plus, I think some of the girls here sort of aren't the type or style for me."  _ Could Shownu be… no, Changkyun doesn't want to assume.  _

"You know what's sexier than girls? Calculators. Those things are beautiful." Changkyun whistles and shakes his head. One of the best inventions ever. "God those babies are fine."

"Alright, interesting info." Shownu pursues his lips and his glasses push up as they start sliding down. "But hey, I'm not one to judge considering seeing a Macintosh gets me all excited, I don't know what to do with myself. I get all hot."

Shownu and Changkyun look at one another for a quick second and notice how both their faces are red. "That sounded weird I'm sorry." Shownu coughs but ends up cracking up. He shakes his head, holding it in his hands.

"Hey man, I'm the one that said calculators were sexier than girls." Changkyun cracks up too and itches his neck. The turtleneck is a bitch and he wants to rip it off, but if he does, he won't be able to explain the bite on him. Maybe he could lie and say it was a scab he picked. Wait, no, that wouldn't be good considering that's a bad thing to do. "Aside from that, how's your studies going? I heard something bad happened?"

"Oh yeah, one of the biggest investments this school made was buying ten IBM PCS and one of the students happened to break one of them." Shownu shudders, the memory visible in his mind. How the pieces broke and the screen was damaged. The repairs would be costly. "You should have seen it, man, it was horrible." 

"Aren't those really expensive too? They're almost a thousand a piece. Does the kid have to pay for it?"

"He should, but I don't think the school would let his family pay for something like that considering it was an accident. However," Shownu proceeds to look behind his shoulder and stops Changkyun in his tracks. He needs to be sure nobody can hear him. "There's something I do need to tell you. Not here though. Do you have time?"

Changkyun nods in curious confusion, letting Shownu wrap an arm around him. He follows closely behind as Minhyuk and Hyungwon are now mostly gone at this point and decides to hang it out with Shownu. They swiftly move into the men's room, not an ideal place for whatever is about to be told, but it does hold a lot of secrets from both the school and students. Shownu bends his body low and grabs hold of his glasses to make sure all the stalls had been empty.  _ Good, very good.  _ He whips his backpack to be at his chest for easy access, knowing the floor wouldn't be the most sanitary place to drop something. Without telling Changkyun anything further, Shownu pulls out his polaroid photos, spreading them out like a fan to view. 

"Polaroids of… nothing?" Changkyun's eyebrows quirks so far it almost hurts. Some of them have people in it so it's not completely blank, but nothing strikes out at him. One being a crowd of people, another being a park bench and one of the school tables. There's two more but Changkyun isn't sure what they could be as they hide behind the other photos. 

"That's the issue." Shownu begins. "These photos were of what I had taken of people but there was always one person who never appeared on film." He thrusts them into Changkyun's hands for a closer inspection. Changkyun fumbles, shifting through each and every one of them. Shownu zips up his backpack and swings it back behind him, his hands moving to get Changkyun's attention again as he continues. "Get this; I was at the park minding my own business and decided  _ 'Hey! Why not take some shots like I normally do.'  _ I did just that and some worked and I got pretty cool, pretty funny photographs but," He leans closer and whispers despite the room being empty. "Some didn't come out on people. I even took multiple ones and still nothing."

Changkyun clicks his tongue and laughs. It's getting closer and closer to Halloween, truly that couldn't be right. It had to be a scare. Shownu was far too late for April Fools and even though his freckles were cute like Jooheon's dimples, he's not going to fall for it and succumb to the belief. Yet, didn't Changkyun question something about cameras recently? The week has been so long to him that he forgot where his brain was and has been.

"Oh, Shownu, you can't be serious. Are you sure that it's not broken? You have had this thing for a while now." 

"If you'd paid enough attention then maybe you would have seen me get a new OneStep Polaroid camera. The newest model in fact." Shownu gloats in high pride. He saved up a lot of money to get a new one, he feels proud of the spending of his savings. "But that's besides the point. Somewhat— but I'm telling you. This camera is brand new, it shouldn't be acting up like this." 

Changkyun starts to feel a chill, and it's not from being in the disgusting bathroom. There's something by the way Shownu moves and acts, the way his eyes are widened with both fear and utter confusion makes Changkyun hold back from laughing any further. It's creepy to think that certain things don't appear on the film. He shakes it, knowing it already has been otherwise the photo wouldn't be visible, but he hopes for the missing piece to appear, and yet it doesn't. He looks up at Shownu who nods his head in the direction of the photos in Changkyun's hand.

He bites his lip, taking a closer look at each photo again and there is an almost eerie feeling by how incomplete it is. One in particular that catches Changkyun's eyes is the photo of people in a crowd. There's a woman smiling up at something that should be there, her arms hooked around what should be an arm and there's nothing looking back at her. Not only that, but even the photo of the school,  _ their school for crying out loud,  _ someone is missing and floating is only a book. It's sick, makes Changkyun turn his head away as the more he stares at it, the more he'll start to panic in a place he should feel some part of comfort.

"You saw it right?" Shownu mumbles, eyes twisted in worry. "The woman in the crowd. The book. The one with the dog on a leash just there. I didn't say anything and wanted you to see it first to make sure I wasn't crazy."

"Did you tell anyone else?" 

"Oh, no," Shownu's eyes grow wide, a gasp almost leaving his lips. "No, no, no, I couldn't. People would think I'm nuts. I'm actually surprised you're believing me right now. Or maybe you are."

"I mean, I don't really know what to think but it's something that I can't explain." 

Then it hits Changkyun and he almost slaps himself for not noticing before.  _ A fucking vampire and there's one in the school.  _ Of course, he can't tell Shownu that, that'll make him look crazier than him. He's not about to show his bite either because that will probably make Shownu faint. Not only that, Kihyun trusts Changkyun not to tell about his kind. He couldn't do that to him. So he keeps a tight lip. 

"I wanna say it's possibly a malfunction in the product despite it being new but it's too weird. It's not ghosts, so what is it?" 

There is a problem however, is what if Shownu tells someone he thinks he can trust and that person ends up telling others. Changkyun is lucky to be the first and hopefully the only person to know. But if what Shownu captured (despite not being on there visibly, funny enough) was a vampire, then who in the school was one? Did Kihyun even know? He has to know especially with that nose of his. 

"Have you taken any other photos?" Changkyun gives the polaroids back to Shownu, watching him swing his backpack to the front to open it up and place it back into his bag. The door opens and a male student (obviously) gives them both an awkward look before brushing past them to use a stall. It is weird how they're standing in the men's room just chatting like it's the most normal place to be. 

Changkyun's question doesn't get answered, but Shownu pulls out his camera and hands it over to him. "I'll trust this with you for the next few days. I want you to take some photos and see if it does the same for you. Even if it sounds crazy, it's comforting to know that there is someone else who knows this is weird." 

"What if I break it?" Changkyun laughs, but also is genuinely concerned if he does so.

"If you do then you'll have to pay for it." Shownu frowns, pushing his glasses up. He digs in his bag some more. "Here's some extra film if you run out. Please tell me the images you've taken too because I want to know."

"I'm surprised you trust me this much but sure. I'll make sure to bring this back to you safely." 

"Great! Now let's get out of here because it stinks and," Shownu leans in and whispers, grabbing Changkyun's arms as they head out. "It's gross to talk while you hear someone pissing in the back." 

Changkyun barks a loud laugh, covering his mouth and they're back outside into the hallway. The amount of people have dissipated and it feels way better here than in there. Shownu reaches into his bag and Changkyun opens his locker to put away the camera. He doesn't know what to think and uses the locker door as a barrier between him and Shownu to quickly compose himself. This is a lot for him to talk in and he has to tell Kihyun. 

Shutting the locker door, Changkyun smiles when he sees Shownu's face who holds a small hand sanitizer bottle. He holds out his hands, knowing he can't get away from the situation and feels the cold gel on his palms. He rubs his hands together, feeling it sting a part of his skin.

"So I'll talk to you in a few days. Tell me if you catch anything weird and then we can discuss and see what happens from there." Shownu confirms, before patting Changkyun on the back and walking away. He doesn't let Changkyun speak after he nods his head which Changkyun is actually kind of glad for. 

Now that Shownu is gone, Changkyun opens back his locker and examines the camera carefully. He doesn't know what to think about the whole situation, but he doesn't want to rule anything out. The image of the woman smiling to a presence that wasn't there is still burned at the back of his eyelids. It's creepy. He questions if that's how he looks next to Kihyun. Someone who is physically there, and can physically touch, but on film and mirror is actually invisible. Guess that answers Changkyun's question from two days ago: they can't be photographed. He feels bad, running his hands against the object.

For one, Changkyun doesn't even know where Kihyun is and if he's even at the school. He tutors but it doesn't seem like he's here for that long. Changkyun doesn't want to look at the camera anywhere and sits back in the locker to lock it up. He shudders, itching the turtleneck and decides to meet up with Minhyuk and Hyungwon. Though, now Changkyun is back at the start: where are they? 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Seventeen minutes. About seventeen minutes after Changkyun hangs up the phone would be the amount of time it takes for Minhyuk to walk to his house. An extra six for any pretty flower he decides to observe on the way and maybe an extra ten or twelve for a cute dog Minhyuk just  _ has  _ to pet. Changkyun would do the same, don't get him wrong, he'll probably be an hour late trying to pet a dog, give it a name and send air kisses as if it were his own. He takes care of animals more than himself if he had to think about it. 

It was after school, and Changkyun hadn't touched the camera. He needed some time before he took a photo and the first one was going to be Kihyun once he got permission. For now, Changkyun wants to rest his mind and doesn't plan to bring it up yet. Not now. He's trying to process everything himself. Changkyun needs time before he explodes and he's stepping on landmines at this point. Any further and he might throw up from how stressed and nervous he is feeling. The camera sits up in his room along with Shownu's landline phone number.  _ Breathe, Changkyun breathe.  _

There's a knock on the door and Changkyun turns his attention to it, smiling as he knows it's Minhyuk. Finally, today was the day for a small hang out fest. It was time to pamper Minhyuk in all his favorite foods and snacks, and give him a few back rubs; maybe even a little spa for him. And a platonic cheek kiss to make Minhyuk feel better; or that's what Changkyun hopes. Without being too weird of course considering his sexuality. He'll ask for sure before doing so.

Changkyun flings open the door, eyes wide when they land on a new guest: Kihyun. Yet, why should he be surprised? But he's using the door? Not only that, but Changkyun can't complain about Kihyun's turtleneck when he has on a nice ass (that too) leather jacket to compliment him. He might be drooling. Changkyun reaches out a hand and pokes Kihyun's shoulder to make sure he's real. He feels the smooth, tight leather against his tips.

"Oh shit, you are real." Maybe Shownu's camera fucked up his brain a little. 

"Hello, appointment for me to bite your neck is soon to be in session." Kihyun jokingly comments as he stands at the doorway with papers in his hands. How does that look so good? Simple but very effective. Kihyun's smile slowly grows when he looks at Changkyun's priceless face. It's so amusing 

"You using the front door? You shouldn't be wearing a turtleneck, but I'm impressed. It looks good so I'll give you a pass. Maybe you do deserve a reward."

"That's correct now give me your neck, nom nom nom." Kihyun walks past Changkyun and places himself onto his couch with his legs crossed. "Wonho is working late tonight and I'm super bored. Besides, I haven't eaten all day so I need some food."

Changkyun closes the door, making his way to Kihyun but doesn't sit. "All day?" Jesus, Kihyun  _ really  _ needs to eat more food. He can't be going around eating garlic bread and donuts. And damn, Kihyun looks so good in leather. This isn't fair. 

Kihyun hums in affirmation as he shifts through his papers. "I wasn't interested in the food they had at that school of yours. Smelling it also didn't really appetize me."  _ So he was at school but when? _

"Right, you tutor people at my school." Kihyun loves history apparently but Changkyun is on the fence between loving and hating it. Changkyun is more of a math and science guy. Those sexy ass calculators man. "I thought you actually taught a class at first. Why didn't you just get something to eat after?"

"You expect me to put myself into a crowd of people at those buildings that make food really fast? I don't think so." Kihyun doesn't do crowds. He hates them.

"When you're desperate you have to eat it. It used to be good when I was about a freshman but it got worse and people started bringing food from home." Changkyun decides to make some food for Kihyun. He's going to start knocking on the door of Kihyun's house and ask Wonho if he's eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"You seem happier today; did something good happen?" Kihyun shifts through the pages and pages of his work, scanning Changkyun's desk for a red pen. "How is Minhyuk and Jooheon doing?"

"Oh? They're still not talking to one another and Minhyuk is hanging around another friend if he isn't with me, so I'm glad he has other company if I'm not there." Changkyun boils some water; he'll make noodles for now considering there will be other company coming. "Minhyuk is actually on his way here I believe, if he's left the house that is. I just chatted with him on my landline."

"He's coming now? I hope I didn't intrude in something."

Changkyun can't help but laugh. A vampire apologizing for coming in, it amazes him. "Please you're fine. I'm sure Minhyuk needs some other company too. He's only really got Hyungwon and I at the moment."

"Hyungwon?" Kihyun blinks. "I don't think I've ever heard you say anything about him until today."

"He's a classmate of ours. Minhyuk needed someone to talk with since I came late into the classroom." Changkyun turns the heat up a little, bending down to check on the fire. "He's tall and very handsome looking. I haven't hung out with him a lot, but he's nice. He's not coming over though I've heard."

"Hm, are you guys working on something?"

"Minhyuk and I? Nope." Changkyun stirs the noodles, watching them slowly soften. He waits a little more before draining the water. "We're only hanging out and I'm trying to cheer him up. I'm hoping to make him forget about Jooheon since I know he still thinks about that."

Changkyun pours in a season pack and sprinkles in some pepper. He stirs the pot again, letting it boil a little longer for the noodles to absorb a little juice for flavor. Last time, the noodles tasted bland, but the broth was amazing. Changkyun hopes Minhyuk comes soon as the noodles would get soggy after sitting out for a while. There's other food to eat, but Minhyuk likes this brand. Changkyun pours two bowls for Kihyun and himself. All Changkyun has to do is wait.

"Here you are. Let it cool down unless you want to burn your lips off."

Kihyun looks up and forgoes his brows. There's something on Changkyun, he smells it. Strong but fresh and new. Not old, but it's there and familiar. 

"Hey, sorry to interrupt you but, come a little closer. Just quickly." Changkyun eyes Kihyun a little. He leans in and takes one step slowly. Kihyun laughs. "I'm not going to bite you. I need to make sure of something." Kihyun noticed something at the front door, but he didn't say anything. He still smells it so prominent now that he's sat here for so long. There's a scent that's bothering Kihyun. It's different, and he remembers the scent faintly somewhere. 

Hesitantly, Changkyun's small steps soon reach Kihyun. He shouldn't move so snail-like especially when Minhyuk could come through the door anytime soon. Kihyun pats his knees and holds out his hands. Changkyun holds his arms close to him and moves to sit on his lap. It's not that he feels frightened, he's just really embarrassed and hasn't gotten used to it all yet. The spot is comfortable, a little hard on his butt, though he doesn't pull away when he feels Kihyun's hand snakes their way to Changkyun's waist to steady him. The grip is gentle, but hard enough so that Changkyun is seated on his lap. It feels so nice and Changkyun doesn't voice it out, but he likes where Kihyun puts his hands. 

Kihyun's face nears and Changkyun turns away slightly, showing his neck more. There's a no kiss policy between them, yet his face can get so close it's jarring. It exposes more of him and the familiarity of Kihyun's sharp nose brushes against the arch of Changkyun's neck and he shivers. The brush of his lips against his skin makes Changkyun grips Kihyun's leather jacket. The memories of yesterday come back, electricity flowing through him.

"H-hey, I thought you said you wouldn't bite me."

"I didn't even bite you Changkyun." Kihyun laughs, patting his hip. He lets Changkyun go and watches his ears go red again, but still stays seated on his lap. A smirk comes up and Kihyun touches Changkyun's knee. "You like it here? I can have you sit on my lap as much as you'd like, you know." 

"I wouldn't… really mind…" Changkyun blurts out because well, he actually doesn't know why. Kihyun's eyes widened at his response, his lips slightly parted, not gapping. Kihyun blinks. Changkyun blinks back. They both blink. "Well, uhm…"

Kihyun's hand reaches up and brushes away some of Changkyun's bangs as his eyes soften, yet glimmer in seriousness. His eyes grow smaller, sharper like he's in another form. It's worse knowing Kihyun can look so fine in a turtleneck and leather jacket. Changkyun won't shut up about it. 

"Do you really mean that?" 

Before Changkyun responds, a knock appears at the door and he yelps, flying off of Kihyun's lap who chokes a laugh.  _ Shit, did Changkyun really say all that. He's not even taking drugs (don't do them) and yet he said all that?  _ Changkyun takes another look at Kihyun before there's another knock at the door. He rubs his turtleneck and fans himself in order to hide the flushed face. He probably looks like a strawberry.  _ At least he looks cute.  _

There's a third knock, louder than the first two and Changkyun runs for the door. Upon opening reveals Minhyuk with a small smile, but his sunglasses sit on his face. He presents a board game, a new one being Scrabble. His hair is slightly a mess and it looks like he'd woken up. 

"Hey there. Sorry Hyungwon couldn't make it. He said he had a project to do today." Minhyuk walks inside when Changkyun steps inside. Kihyun smells it on Minhyuk but doesn't say anything to Changkyun. 

"It's okay. Projects can't be done by one person unless you're a dick who doesn't help." Changkyun closes the door, noticing how he didn't even take a bite of his noodles because he was on Kihyun's—  _ okay let's stop there.  _

"Oh?" Minhyuk stops in his tracks the minute he steps closer to Kihyun. He pouts in confusion as he notices him sitting on the couch eating noodles. "Kihyun, correct?" Kihyun looks up from his grading papers and nods in agreement, cheeks full. The smell that was on Changkyun is coming from Minhyuk. It's there. "Nice seeing you again. Hm, you two seem close now." Minhyuk says as he sits. He finds it amusing considering the event last time followed by Changkyun's freak out, and to see Kihyun inside the house again was something Minhyuk didn't expect. 

"I think we've gotten very close too. He gives me a lot of things." Kihyun replies, too calmly and vaguely for Changkyun's liking who almost pisses himself. He still needs a red pen but stuff his face with noodles.

"It's not what you think Minhyuk! We're close now but it's nothing like close,  _ close. _ " Changkyun vomits out as Minhyuk turns to stare in merriment. "He's been helping me a lot with history which has been a great help, right Kihyun?"

Kihyun doesn't take the hint and frowns as he tries to remember. He doesn't recall anything because nothing as such happened. "I have? I've been tutoring other people."  _ Jesus Christ Kihyun, a little help please.  _

"I know what he meant." Minhyuk laughs. "The way you're acting makes it seem like you had sex or kissed or something." 

_ Why did you say that? Kihyun is right there!  _ Changkyun laughs nervously and runs the side of his neck as the fabric of the turtleneck presses against him. He feels hot again, really hot, so he fans himself. This isn't good for his health, like junk food just in people form.

"Would you like some noodles? I made you a bowl right there." Changkyun diverts. 

"I already ate which was why I came a little later than I usually do." Minhyuk smiles apologetically. "Maybe later but if Kihyun wants it he can have it. Today I want to play this and feel smart. There's a spelling bee coming up and I sort of want to participate."

"Huh, that's coming up? I really need to start paying attention to the bulletin board." Changkyun sits down on the carpet, opening the board game and Minhyuk takes off his sunglasses. His eyes are slightly red, and rubs them a little. 

"Changkyun, do you have a red pen?" Kihyun finally has the time to ask. He lifts up his papers.

"Yeah, it's on the desk in my room. Go in there and get it or whatever you need in there." 

Kihyun nods, almost flits inside the other room but reminds himself about Minhyuk again. He needs to act human, any wrong move will have those growing suspicions. Once Kihyun makes it up the stairs and to Changkyun's room, a range out of earshot, Minhyuk leans to Changkyun and whispers to him: "So, you and Kihyun? Talk about development. I knew you two could get along."

"Well, since Wonho was so kind it made me feel so much more comfortable to be around Kihyun. I like Kihyun, he's pretty nice." Changkyun doesn't bother whispering. He knows Kihyun can most likely hear him either way who's probably eating up all the praise. "I just give him donuts and he's good to go. After I gave him the first box he came back for more. He's really caring."

"Proud of you." Minhyuk randomly picks seven letters for himself and places it on his horizontal stand. "Speaking about progress, I've been trying to get a hold of Jooheon. Still no luck. He avoids me in the halls and hangs out with that girl as if to make fun of me."

"You too?" Changkyun sighs, fixing his letters. He already has a word ready. It's short but it's dictionary approved. "His landline isn't down, he's just not picking up. Going to his house might not serve a good purpose. Does he make eye contact with you?"

"Sometimes. Do you think he told his parents? How his childhood male friend confessed his feelings to him."

"Minhyuk. Don't think that way."

"Sorry." Minhyuk turns when he hears Kihyun's steps coming down the stairs. "I'm lonely. Even with Hyungwon there, and you too, I'm still lonely."

"Oh Minhyuk, if you want to stay here for a while you can." Changkyun goes first and puts his first words down.  _ Fun.  _ A word that doesn't fit the reality of now. "I'm sure Jooheon will come around one day. You know he can be stubborn too. He's giving it some thought I'm sure."

"I know. I poured a lot out to him and he sort of left me there. Packed up his things and left. I had to let it out, Changkyun; I couldn't keep it inside anymore." Minhyuk places a  _ 'G'  _ and  _ 'M'  _ between Changkyun's  _ 'U'. _ He plays with his fingers, clicking his fingernails together. "It's still affecting me considering that he hasn't talked to me in days."

"Minhyuk." Kihyun speaks up. Did you want something hot to drink?"

"Thank you for assuming I have something hot to drink." Changkyun laughs, and Kihyun frowns as he throws his chin at him in disgust. 

"If he has something hot I'll take it. Anything, please." Minhyuk watches as Changkyun grabs three letters, placing another three down to make the word  _ 'MOVE'.  _ "Anything but noodles though." Changkyun shakes his head, offended and hurt by his decision. Minhyuk blinks and reaches out towards Changkyun's neck, his finger hooking at the turtleneck. "You wear these? Seems not your style."

Changkyun sweats when Minhyuk pulls the fabric. If he sees the bite, there's no way to explain that. Behind Minhyuk's head stands Kihyun who surprisingly looks like he'd seen a ghost. He watches the two in silence, slowly walking to the kitchen. Before he can pull any further, there's a knock at the door and everyone in the room turns to the source of the noise. Didn't Hyungwon have a project? Jooheon is avoiding them and Wonho could be another person to join in considering Kihyun isn't home. Changkyun looks to Kihyun for answers and so does Minhyuk, seeing if he had any one that he didn't mention to join. Kihyun knows the scent behind the door, but if he says anything, Minhyuk will grow suspicious as to how he knows. So he shrugs his shoulders.  _ Sorry Changkyun.  _

"I guess Hyungwon decided to come then? I gave him your landline. Maybe he called mine and just came here?"

"You think so?" Changkyun moves to the window, not seeing anyone outside his window. There's nobody at the porch so he reaches for the knob and slowly turns open the door very slowly to peek out. In less than a second almost, the door flies open, making Changkyun stumble back a bit, his hand thrown from the knob by the force. 

Kihyun moves quickly, jogging over to check if he's alright. There's not enough time to give a response when someone speaks frantically and stomps into the house. 

"Sorry I came here unannounced but, I'm lost and I don't know what to do anymore. These past few days have been such a hassle and Minhyuk had to open his mouth and say that he likes me? I thought we were friends. I thought I could— oh." Jooheon stops in his tracks, spotting Minhyuk on the floor of the living room. Definitely not what he expected walking inside. He looks around the room, seeing Changkyun and neighbor–dude but Minhyuk? "What the hell are you doing here?"

Minhyuk glares, unappreciative of his tone. How dare he even come inside and push Changkyun with the door. "Excuse me? This isn't your house."

"Does Changkyun know what you are? Did you confess to him too?" Jooheon steps closer and Minhyuk stands. Changkyun and Kihyun aren't sure if they should intervene yet, watching in pure disbelief. For the first time, Changkyun actually fears his friends. He feels himself shaking, wanting to jump in but also wanting to stay back. If he helps, would it be seen as helping or making things worse.

"Are you fucking serious? Why are you acting like this Jooheon? I'm not forcing you to like me, all I asked was to give me your opinion and to think about it." Minhyuk feels like crying, his fists balled white and the air existing his body increases. "You're the one who is ignoring me and acting this way. You're making it seem like I'm the bad guy."

"Because you are! You're gay! Don't you know how disgusting that is? Why do you think people at school look down upon it? It's because that's not how life works Minhyuk!"

"Well that's how my life works! If I want to like men so what? You're making it seem like I'm out there killing people!"

Their voices grow louder each second and Changkyun's grip tightens on Kihyun. He wants to cry. He doesn't want this for his friends. This isn't how things should be. This isn't. They should be smiling and happy, not fighting. Kihyun runs a hand on Changkyun's back, rubbing softly to calm him down without saying a thing.

"You can't make a family. You're a disgrace to your family Minhyuk. You know your parents won't accept you! Besides, how will you even date? You think you can find a gay man at school? You can't. Besides, it's not right. It's disgusting!" Jooheon screams back and it makes Minhyuk shuts his mouth. 

He knows he's not going to be accepted by his family. It's the reason why he hasn't told them. Minhyuk couldn't help it. One day he noticed he wasn't interested in girls and realized how much attraction he felt towards Jooheon and men in general. Growing up to look at magazines with nude women didn't even do anything, it was all fake. He didn't want to be seen as different, yet here he was. Jooheon was so caring and always looked after him, yet this person in front of him didn't seem to resemble Jooheon. His eyes of rage and hatefulness, like Minhyuk was literal shit on the floor; he felt like dog crap. Why couldn't he get even just an ounce of support?

Kihyun frowns, stepping forward. Changkyun looks in slight bewilderment. This doesn't sit right with Kihyun. There's many things he relates to and it's almost like a slap to him too. To think people think like this? He has to say something. 

"You know that's not a very nice thing to say Jooheon. Just because his sexuality is different from yours, he's still the same person." 

Everyone pauses and looks in Kihyun's direction. The shock is evident between the trio and it takes Jooheon's breath away. Kihyun closes the door, finding it rude how Jooheon barged in and didn't bother to close it. And now he is talking down to Minhyuk like he was a mutt. Nobody had really thought Kihyun would speak his mind about the issue, but he doesn't stop there.

"It's scary being judged for something you can't control, and act as if everything is fine when it's not. What do you think Minhyuk felt and went through when finding out he preferred men over women and realized it's very looked down upon? Don't you think he felt alone? Don't you think he already knew?" There's a pause and Minhyuk takes a glance at Jooheon. Kihyun licks his lips and continues. "But he risked it to tell you because he trusted you and thought you would have his back. Besides, that's still Minhyuk. Even if you don't feel the same way he does towards you, then you could say you enjoy his company as a best friend. I mean, in a world filled with millions of people, do you really think each and everyone would have a woman–man relationship."

Jooheon stands, biting his bottom with his thoughts in process. He doesn't say anything, knowing Kihyun is older than him. He doesn't comment nor nod or shake his head, only listens. There's no way he can talk back, but can't help and lower his head to take a peek at Minhyuk. He still looked the same except a melancholy mask covered his features. 

"Yes, Minhyuk can't make a family genetically, but he still can make his own family even if it's not his blood. Look at you three for example, you're all friends but consider each other family since you were kids, correct? Yet, you're not blood related." Kihyun folds his arms, stepping closer to Minhyuk and Jooheon. "It's a lot for both of you to comprehend I'm sure. Also, he knows his family won't approve and he doesn't need to be reminded of that. Minhyuk goes home every day fearing that if someone in his family finds out, they could kick him out and leave him on the street. Did you ever really think of that Jooheon?" 

There's a moment of silence, Changkyun watching at the entrance of what was to come. He doesn't move, afraid that if he does then he could fuck something up. He watches on, unsure what to do next or if he should even take the next breath that is in the room. He notices how bad he's shaking, eye burning from trying to hold back tears. He looks at the three of them, waiting for someone else to speak up. 

"I'll…" Jooheon begins, everyone with their eyes trained on him. He's contemplating, gathering a response he seems fit. Minhyuk holds a shaky breath when Jooheon looks his way, a mixture of so many emotions that alternate depending on which thoughts are processed. "I'll think about everything more." Changkyun can see the breath that leaves Minhyuk. "And Minhyuk if what he says is true, then sorry for making you feel even more alone. I need time. A lot of it. Still." Jooheon runs his forehead and brushes his hair back. "I don't know how much longer but, I'll think about things. Once again I'm sorry especially for all the negative things I've said." 

Kihyun can't help but let the tiniest smile break onto his face and Changkyun feels like the air is easier to breath. A hand comes up to his chest, never noticing just how hard his heart had been beating like battle drums. There's a look of hope that shines in Minhyuk's eyes, glimmers alongside the tears that prickle at the corner. It's really not the best apology but, it's the nicest Jooheon has been to him after this whole situation blew up. 

Jooheon nods his head, unsure what to say next and he turns around to the front door. "Sorry Changkyun for barging in too. I'll come announced next time." The door closes, and once again it's silent. Scrabble pieces scatter and stick to the bottom of Minhyuk's feet and he steps off the board. He stares at the door in disbelief and Changkyun looks in his direction. 

Did someone really stand up for him? Minhyuk couldn't believe it. Someone actually stood up for him. They understood his pain and even knew what could happen if his family found out. There was actually a person who knew how hard it was from him. The loneliness and empty feeling of how many people will look at you like you're the most evil thing on this earth. How you shouldn't dare be alive. It was hard for Minhyuk. He doesn't stop shaking, doesn't even think he can. 

He's so thankful, Minhyuk owes it to Kihyun. "Kihyun…" Minhyuk sniffles, a hand coming up to wipe his face with his sleeve. He slowly wobbles, swaying towards Kihyun and falls into his arms, hands gripped at his sleeves. "Thank you for… standing up for me…" It doesn't take long for Minhyuk's small cries to turn into sobs. "You have no idea what it means to me. Thank you… thank you…" Minhyuk repeats quietly. 

The sight makes Changkyun's heart clench, squeezing ever so tightly and spread across his body. He runs over to their side, runs a hand up and down Minhyuk's back. Changkyun's happy Kihyun came or else things wouldn't have gone down the way it would have. Jooheon could have punched Minhyuk or Changkyun could have ended everyone's friendship. He hopes that one day his words can make an impact like Kihyun's did. 

Kihyun lifts a hand to pat Minhyuk's head as he sobs.  _ It'll be alright. You're not alone as you think you are. _

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was about 15K long and is the longest one yet!!! I'll be updating this next week so please stay tuned AND if you want the next chapter, make you comment ;)
> 
> Use the tag #AfterDarkAO3 to post a part you really liked or you can hit me up at @yooki221 as well about the fic!!!
> 
> Thank you!!!


	6. Lurking Unknowns Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whatever is lurking beyond the surface, something deeper lies within.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playing the next 80s classics for the nightclub tonight:
> 
> "Good Man in a Bad Time" by Ian Hunter & "Give It Up" by Evelyn "Champagne" King
> 
> Tw// mentions of drugs and alcohol but just the mentions of it. Nothing serious.

Almost every time they meet, it's dark outside as the moon illuminates the starless sky. A fog looms over the streets and hills, the town silent. It's late but nothing near midnight as the light on Changkyun's room stays on. His, along with a few other houses on his street still remain lit, but it feels like his place seems to emit the most noise. The windows are closed so that the neighbors wouldn't be able to hear a sound, but anyone who looks towards the house will know people are awake. 

One window in particular, Changkyun's room to be exact, is the only part of the house that is the most liveliest. Clothes are strewn around the floor and bed without a care in the world. They wrinkle from not being touched after a while, an array of monochrome. His body is hot from moving around so much, they've been going about this for hours. Changkyun knows he shouldn't, but he does so anyways because he wants to. The whole week and before has been wearing down on him, he needs to let loose. Kihyun sits on the bed patiently, watching Changkyun move around his room from time to time. Sometimes Changkyun goes downstairs and comes back up or makes a trip to the bathroom and hurriedly runs back into the runs to examine himself in the mirror. 

Kihyun runs a hand against his chest, feeling slightly uncomfortable from wearing a low cut sweater that Changkyun made him wear considering Kihyun was trying to be sneaky with the turtlenecks again. It was a lower collared sweater that exhibited his collarbones more than usual. For one thing, the v-neck on the sweater left Changkyun staring whenever Kihyun wasn't looking, though, Kihyun knew the stares. They were too obvious within peripheral vision that he mentally chuckles.  _ At least he knows he looks good without needing to go in front of a mirror. Not like he can anyways. _

Maybe Changkyun is having a little  _ too much fun _ when it comes to Kihyun's outfits. It makes Kihyun want to take action, yet, he refrains for now. There's a bigger issue needing to be dealt with in the room. 

"You're only eighteen, how are you going to a nightclub? And why?" Kihyun asks, watching Changkyun browse through his closet. The clothes that are strewn about in the room is the messiest that Kihyun has ever seen it become. "You're not going to do drugs. That's not allowed and I won't allow it."

Two days had passed since Jooheon and Minhyuk had the argument. It's been tolerable knowing things had been in a settled yet unsettled status but, what else was there to do. Now it was up to Jooheon and his feelings to see what he would make of their friendship. There wasn't a phone call left on Changkyun's landline and Minhyuk seemed in better spirits. He even bought Kihyun a box worth of donuts that he didn't need more of but, too late to change the past. In the last few days, Jooheon still seemed deep in thought and avoided Minhyuk in the halls but it didn't affect Minhyuk as much as Changkyun would have expected after Kihyun's speech. He looked like a new man even, except it was still the same old, good friend Minhyuk. 

"Don't worry, I won't." Changkyun smiles as he turns to face Kihyun. He hangs up a shirt he decided to not wear. "Because you'll be coming with me."

Kihyun's face drops.  _ Hold up.  _ "I'll be what? When was this decided? In my sleep?" 

"Minhyuk and today. He wanted to thank you so he invited you; just without your knowledge." 

"It's not because I'm older right?" If that's the case, Kihyun is not going. He doesn't want to stand around and babysit adults.  _ Grown-sit adults more like it.  _ "He could have given me more food or something I can actually enjoy. But something like this isn't what I grew up with."

"Oh hush, it's not because you're older. If that was the case we wouldn't have fake IDs." Changkyun rapidly blurts, hoping Kihyun didn't hear. He does; loud and clear. Changkyun hides deeper in his closet with a smile, a laugh caught in the back of his throat.  _ Funny; Changkyun seems like he IS stuck in the closet if you catch his drift. _

"Fake what?!" Kihyun chokes on the air he breathes, eyes widening at the new information. He rubs part of his exposed skin to help calm him down by rubbing circles on his chest. So Changkyun is going to a club underage with his friends who are equally underage? That sounds like trouble. Having fake IDs creates even more trouble. "I can't believe I'm hearing this, you're insane." 

"I'm insanely cute you mean." Changkyun flips the short strands of his hair. It creates a laugh from Kihyun who crosses his arm in amusement. He won't deny it, Changkyun is pretty cute. But does he really want to stroke Changkyun's ego more? Either way, Changkyun would still eat it up, store it and use it for later to justify whatever his future actions may be. 

"Just because you're insanely cute doesn't hide the fact you're still going somewhere you're not allowed."

"But~ it will help me get inside because I am insanely cute. What I plan to wear will be the icing on the cake." Changkyun ends with a chef's kiss, going back to folding his pants. He wants to wear something that makes him feel good about himself; something that catches eyes, but not too many eyes, and nothing colorful. The night club already is going to look like people have gotten paint thrown on them. Changkyun doesn't want to stand out, but he wants to look fresh with a hint of sexiness. 

Changkyun rubs his neck despite the bite on has disappeared, and yet, he still feels a tingle whenever he's near Kihyun; it's a force of habit. The memories of that day never leave Changkyun as they're rooted and planted inside each part of his brain. Something about the built up energy between them, or the way Kihyun handled him like he was treasured made Changkyun want to feel that way again. 

He doesn't fully turn, but his eyes travel to where Kihyun sits playing with an Etch A Sketch to bust himself. Each day Changkyun's brain can't stop thinking about how good Kihyun looks, he's starting to think how a vampire can have such an effect on him, he ponders if it's in their nature. His eyes travel to Kihyun's hands that play with the small dial and Changkyun desperately needs to calm down his hammering heart. He feels as if he's playing Whack A Mole with his heart right now, hitting it in order to go down and calm itself. 

"You know," Changkyun starts as he picks up a jacket on the bed and puts a sleeve on one side of the hanger. He distracts his mind with small conversation. "Thanks to you, Minhyuk looks happier. He was actually talking a lot more and wore his sunglasses again. It felt really nice to see him so happy after a while. Hyungwon even pulled me aside that he was so shocked." 

"I actually didn't think I did much to be honest with you. It was upsetting to see Jooheon talk down to Minhyuk like that; I couldn't stand there and watch it happen. It was also shocking considering how close they seemed when I first met them." Kihyun throws the rest of himself on Changkyun's bed. He's trying to draw a cat but the outcome isn't great; he restarts after messing up the other eye. "They seem really close too. I know that both of them are thinking real hard and carefully about what will come."

"You're right. Even though Minhyuk is in high spirits right now, he's probably trying to distract his mind more. He may not show it but I know he thinks a lot about what went on in the past few days." 

"Going to a club  _ definitely  _ feels like he's trying to get his mind off of it all. Remember: just because someone seems happy on the outside they might not always be happy on the inside; could be a lot of reasons." Kihyun speaks from experience. He knows it all too well. 

"I never really gave it a thought like that. It makes me think more and more how true that really is." Changkyun throws a shirt he finds on the floor onto Kihyun who unsurprisingly catches it mid air with one hand. His eyes never move from the Etch A Sketch.  _ Damn _ . He's no fun, but that was pretty rad. 

"Oh, look what you did. You got my cat all messed up again." Kihyun groans, starting all over yet again. There's a huge line across his drawing that can not be fixed.

"Again? How did I even mess it up the first time?"  _ Oh right, the Game Boy; Changkyun still needs that back by the way. _

"Because of your insanely cute face." Those words come back at him like a boomerang and when it comes out of Kihyun's mouth, it feels like a different story. Changkyun can't help but feel a little sheepish despite calling himself that minutes ago. It doesn't stop the proud smile that slides it's way on his face.

"At least you got one thing right. I'm the mayor of good-looks town." Changkyun holds his head high and Kihyun snorts. He starts to finish up the clothes from the floor, grabbing a pair of pants and folding them aside for his outfit. Changkyun didn't realize how much of a fashion show he put on in his room, but he feels a little guilty having Kihyun sit around to breathe the air around him and only stand. Though, it also doesn't take much to keep Kihyun entertained and get fully concentrated into whatever he's doing which is quite endearing. 

Hanging up a jacket, Changkyun notices a piece of clothing that's fallen in the back of his closet. He bends to retrieve it, shaking it of any dust as it feels so light into hands, fingers getting caught into the small intricate holes. 

Unveiling the clothing was a coal black laced shirt that Changkyun knows he never bought. It was gifted to him by Jooheon and Minhyuk when they were sneaking around a lingerie shop. Of course, since the item was bought, their stealth skills got cut short when they went up to the register to purchase. Once bought they gave it to Changkyun for a joke and that was the last it was in his hands. He holds the laced shirt against his body, noticing how short it is, but not so much noticeable. 

His eyes gravitate towards Kihyun who hasn't made any other movements aside playing and focusing on the Etch A Sketch. Changkyun wants to ask him something, but also wants to leave it for a surprise to see the look on his face. All Changkyun needs would be a black collared shirt of the same length so that he isn't only wearing a lace top. That's a little too much skin showing for his liking.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Kihyun's eyes move away from the board to lock eyes with him briefly. "You're staring,  _ again.  _ Am I insanely cute too, is that the reason?" 

"What do you plan to wear to the nightclub? Did you want me to dress you up? Maybe dye your hair."

"Who said I was going? I didn't agree to it yet." Kihyun rises, tossing the Etch A Sketch a distance away on the bed. He flashes a smirk, not planning to get dragged without a little fight or fun; that would make things  _ too easy _ . "You're not going to make me wear one of those tops that show my nipples are you? If so I'm not going and I'll be giving out a flat no."

"Of course not." The shirt in Changkyun's hands wouldn't be showing his nipples but it's close to showing a little bit, but he'll still be covering up. He hides the lace garment back into the closet to hang this time, making sure Kihyun didn't see more than he should too soon.  _ Yikes, why did that sound a little dirty.  _ "I'll make sure you're covered head to toe and walk in looking like a crash test dummy. Heavily padded to protect you from any danger if that makes you feel better."

"I want to look like myself please; not the Michelin Man's twin brother." Kihyun rolls his eyes. He feels like a Barbie doll being dressed up so many times; next his hair is probably even going to be blonde. Kihyun hopes to avoid that. "I can't even look at myself in the mirror."

"Minhyuk draws! Would you want him to draw you? He's amazing and would capture how you look to a perfection."

"How does that correlate with what I said though?" 

"Minhyuk can draw your face and  _ not only _ will you know what you look like now, but we can tape it to a mannequin that we can then dress up. That will be your mirror! This is amazing, I should have thought about this earlier." Changkyun feels pretty proud of this idea. It'll work to some degree and even if Kihyun disagrees. Instead though, Kihyun snorts, shaking his head and begins to laugh his ass off. "What? Do you think I'm joking?"

"At this point, I know you're serious when it comes to these kinds of things. It's..." Kihyun looks up, only able to stare at Changkyun's face for a couple more seconds before he bursts out laughing. _Changkyun_ _is funny when he doesn't try to be funny, it's… funny. _This has been the first human Kihyun has enjoyed being around; he wonders if he's mentioned that before. "Sorry, you're so amusing, I'm always wondering what you're going to do next."

Changkyun throws another shirt he finds on the floor at Kihyun again. He was being serious at the idea. You have to give him credit for it too, pretty ingenious if you ask Changkyun. He is sure that Kihyun will like the idea once it's put into action. Besides, Wonho will probably back him up.

It's no surprise when Kihyun dodges the shirt for a second time, clutching it in his hands as he catches it. He laughs again, folding it up and placing it beside him. All he can really do is watch Changkyun roam around his room. The television downstairs and he doesn't want to go down and leave Changkyun by himself to clean his room (even though Kihyun hasn't lifted a finger). Besides, they only show so much at a certain time and any vampire shows he's watched are viewed to make fun of; critique them from bad to worse. Kihyun laughs at the thought of being able to turn into a bat,  _ haha, it's hilariously bad.  _

Changkyun shoots an entertaining look, laughing alongside Kihyun. He finishes up tidying the room, closing the closet door and making sure nothing else is out of place. He's got his outfit picked for the day of going out, now he needs one for Kihyun. They'll probably shop for one who knows. Looking over to Kihyun, Changkyun spots a folded up shirt that should actually be hung up. He moves over to grab it, shaking the shirt from its folds and smoothing out the wrinkles.

Kihyun notices how close Changkyun is to him and he smiles, chuckling happily when he captures Changkyun by the waist. Changkyun yelps, dropping the shirt while Kihyun watches him cutely stumble into his arms. He looks down at Kihyun smiling like he's gotten away with something, yet, Changkyun's eyebrows form together with a lopsided, bemused grin. 

"Didn't this happen last time? When I was on your lap. What was that all about?"

"Do you mean being on my lap in general or what you said when you were on it." Kihyun leans forward, his neck stretching up and his arms circle a little tighter around Changkyun. 

"What I said?"  _ What did he say?  _ Changkyun remembers Kihyun's hand touching his hair, but there was something before— _ o–oh, riiight.  _ Changkyun's face feels hot again and Kihyun breaks a smile at the sight, knowing realization came into the bedroom. "No! I'm talking about you and your motives. Whatever you were doing."

"Me?" _So this is about Kihyun, not him._ Averting the attention away, you can't fool him. Kihyun observes Changkyun, taking in his movements and expressions. _Should he tell him?_ _The scent on him that came from Minhyuk._ Though, he doesn't want to have Changkyun worry about his best friend more than he already is, especially at the party (Kihyun still can't believe he hasn't stopped them) where he's going to be having fun. If Kihyun tells him, Changkyun will probably be left in a bad and jumpy mood. He'll keep quiet about it for now. Kihyun won't speak about the information he knows, but he has to explain his actions. "There was a scent on you like I mentioned before. I'm still trying to figure out what it is." _It's not a lie._

"Was it bad?" Changkyun bites his lip. 

"I mean, it was enough to get my suspicion up. But don't worry; if something more comes of it I'll tell you." Changkyun opens his mouth but Kihyun beats him to the punch. "You're going to have fun though, right? Let's not have you worry about stuff like that right now. What we should do," Kihyun can't help but continue to smile, it's stuck on his face. "Is for us to continue where we had ended last time before Minhyuk interrupted us."

"Continue?" Changkyun slides onto Kihyun's lap after his legs get tired. His eyes widen at how close he is to Kihyun once again. He can take in Kihyun's features more, notice things that he doesn't normally see like the moles on his face or his long eyelashes to a lip mole that's at the corner. "You mean, what do you mean by that?" Changkyun knows what Kihyun means, but still questions. The bubbling feeling of want comes back like before.

"Don't act like you don't know." Kihyun doesn't answer any more questions. He places a hand on Changkyun's neck, fingers moving to caress the skin, noticing how he isn't wearing a turtleneck to hide the bite because it's not there. The skin is smooth once again, the redness is no longer there and Kihyun is glad it's healed. Changkyun has a really beautiful and long neck, it has Kihyun wanting to bite. There isn't one day where he doesn't think about biting Changkyun; how could he not. "Your bite has fully healed, does it still hurt?" 

"No. I sort of decided to deal with the pain after a while but since it's gone there's no pain." Changkyun licks his lips in a mixture of slight anticipation yet nervousness. He's waiting for Kihyun to do something, yet doesn't want to know what he'll do either because Changkyun is inpatient and Kihyun likes to mess around. He can be so playful it's agonizing. Changkyun feels like he's been hiking a narrow path and everytime Kihyun plays or teases him, Changkyun's footing slips close to a cliff face. He's going to go mental. "But, I'm fine now. No need to worry or freak out."

Kihyun pouts, almost too cute for Changkyun's weak heart and the situation; it can only take so much at a time. "And yet, I wasn't able to take care of you a lot though. I am the one responsible for the pain of the bite, you should let me care for you more." There's that innocent smile that Kihyun plays on his lips that makes his cheeks look so squishy. The sight makes Changkyun move to poke a cheek because he can't help himself. The creases at the end of Kihyun's smile honestly is precious. 

"Do you plan to bite me? There's that look in your eyes again." Changkyun stabilizes himself by wrapping his arms around Kihyun's neck. It's too late when he notices the position he's in is kind of… yeah; not one typical for a conversation. 

"I could. I'm very tempted and needy." Kihyun doesn't need to lean too much for his lips to find their way against Changkyun's neck. As expected, Changkyun's body turns rock solid by the slightest touch, holding his breath once Kihyun nears. He can feel Kihyun mumble some more against his neck and whine in a low tone as he kicks his feet. "Really, really, reeealyyyy needy~" 

"H–hey, watch where your mouth is. I never—" 

"I said I was tempted, not that I'm going to bite you." Kihyun chuckles and Changkyun feels it tickle his skin. He jumps a little. "Unless, you have something better in mind." As Kihyun says this, his finger ghost across Changkyun's hips and they plan to move under Changkyun's pajama top.  _ There go his hands again... _

Indeed, Changkyun himself is very tempted for more than one reason. One being that he wants Kihyun's hands to touch him and two being that Kihyun stops with the teasing and to get on with it; whatever other reasons, Changkyun is still trying to sort all those out. All he knows is that he can't take the touches and then walk away anymore. While the vampire bite wasn't the most delightful experience, the caring touches and considerations made Changkyun favor those more. 

There's this want that strikes within Kihyun; an urge that's growing to a point where it slowly aches. He hasn't had any blood since he last bit Changkyun; a total of six days, practically a week and it's torturous. Kihyun could eat human food as a distraction but that doesn't take away the starvation for blood. Not feeding him blood slowly kills him, but he holds off; has to, for Changkyun's sake. Today, he'll bask in the addicting scent that Changkyun emanates and his baby soft skin. Kihyun's hand stays at the waist, waiting for instruction or staying there only to tease. He nuzzles Changkyun's neck because he can't get enough of it, lips grazing the arch and the spot just below his ear. 

"Aren't you going to use those hands or let them stay there to do nothing?" Changkyun states impatiently, wrapping his arms a little tighter to lean forward and bury his head in the nest of his arms and Kihyun's neck. The teasing is too much for him, he can't look at Kihyun's face and watch him smile so cutely while his hands do the naughty work.

"Where do you want them to be? Don't be shy." Kihyun's breath begins to pick up at the sentence, his voice going down an octave. 

"Anywhere as long as they don't sit there."

Kihyun lets out a surprise laugh at Changkyun's eagerness, moving to lick his neck, ending with a tiny bite. It doesn't pierce the skin, making sure his fangs don't come out. He needs blood but Changkyun's bite has just healed; Kihyun doesn't want to make him feel uncomfortable like the last time. He'll have to throw away his hunger for blood and improvise to the best of his abilities; it'll hold him off for a few hours. However, Changkyun responds more eagerly this time.

Changkyun reacts to the bite with a groan, making Kihyun pull away. "Did that hurt?" Changkyun shakes his head; quite the opposite actually. "If at times you don't want me to fully bite you would you prefer this instead?" Kihyun feels a nod of the head. He smiles. "Noted."

Now with full permission, Kihyun moves back to the spot and repeats the action. He gives a small bite and kisses the area after as he goes off by the sounds Changkyun makes by his ear. Oh to be able to put his lips against Changkyun's neck itself feels so great and he's not even drawing blood.  _ This will do, this will totally work for now.  _ Kihyun tries not to be too needy, but he can't help himself when it comes to necks. He's trying hard, almost breaking a sweat from holding back so much. One more day without blood, maybe two depending how Kihyun's body feels without it. It's hard knowing Changkyun's bite also has to heal and the wait is excruciating; a reason why Kihyun is so desperate. 

He needs a little bit more skin… 

Kihyun's hands unbutton the second button, seeing how the first had left him a present he was glad to take. He pauses, waiting for Changkyun to lift his head and refuse, but there's no response. Collarbones are fully into view except he can't see them from how close Changkyun is wrapped around him by the neck. Kihyun's hands move from the waist to the shoulders, slowly pulling the sleeves a little lower on his arms. He feels Changkyun shiver above him and sigh into his neck. He can feel Changkyun shift, spreading his legs so that they're on each side of him. 

_ That's… woah…  _ Kihyun feels embarrassed from the gesture, feeling Changkyun pressed against his body with arms tightening a little more around his neck.  _ Shit… this is too stimulating, it's driving Kihyun up the walls.  _

"Kihyun…" 

Changkyun whispers, hands clutching Kihyun's back for purchase, gripping the sweater like claws catching its prey. He hangs on, until his back hits the bed at a speed he can't process. One second his eyes were closed, next he's staring up at Kihyun who cages him in from above. By how quick they moved, Changkyun would have thought he teleported. What worries him a little more is the new position they're in and the change in color of Kihyun's eyes.

_ They're red. It's striking. Captivating. Almost hypnotic.  _

Those eyes that remind Changkyun the other is a vampire. Did he want blood? What else would be the reason why Kihyun's eyes are glowing the same crimson-red whenever he has his feedings.  _ Why is that? _ Changkyun's throat closes up a little. He doesn't say a word as he's pinned under the intense glowing gaze and Kihyun knows Changkyun can see it. Kihyun's eyes shake a little, unsure if he should continue when the look that's given to him makes him want to back down. 

"Are you going to bite me? You're not, right?" Changkyun wants to make sure. It's not that he's scared of being bit (even though he is, he just won't admit it here), but the thought of Kihyun and his urges scares him more. Even though the last time Kihyun's eyes glowed such a color, his actions were soft and caring; maybe, this is okay but he's still a vampire; an animal that may not always be controlled. 

"You didn't give me consent. I'm not going to bite you I promise. Do you still trust me?" 

Changkyun stares, bites his lip as he contemplates. "Can I ask why your eyes turned red?"

"I told you, I'm tempted but I'll refrain for your sake. So I'll ask again: do you still trust me?" 

Sucking in a breath, Changkyun nods his head, whispering a  _ "yes",  _ that he feels escape his lips.  _ Jesus Christ, Changkyun what are you thinking? Letting Kihyun get close to your neck while his eyes are glowing such a monstrous red. Insane.  _

He whimpers when Kihyun leans down into his neck, kissing it. It's so risky yet the desire for one another throws their logic out of the window. Changkyun can feel Kihyun's fangs brush against his neck, dragging along the skin just enough to make him gasp.  _ Shit _ . Changkyun thinks he actually liked that. It was dangerously exciting the way his heart bested against his chest as the fangs danced across the skin, almost a ticklish yet, sharp feel; like nails lightly brushing his skin. Thankfully, Kihyun keeps his words and doesn't bite him. 

"If you want, next time, I can bite you right~" Kihyun's hand slowly trails to one of Changkyun's thighs, hooking under the knee to lift up the leg a little. His hand stops to brush against his inner thigh, causing Changkyun to moan at the feeling despite it being over his clothes. He can still feel it, sensitive. "Here." Kihyun smiles slyly; a sneaky cat-like smile. "But only when you're ready."

The thoughts inside Changkyun's head are becoming too vivid when Kihyun talks like that. He keeps his hands clutched on his chest as Kihyun isn't afraid to say whatever it is that will get Changkyun amorous. He swears that there's a switch within the both of them that goes off in times like this. Sucking in a breath, Changkyun responds.

"I think– I think my heart is going to explode. Go easy on me." He hears Kihyun laugh, it's cute, loud and a big contrast from his touches and neck kisses. Changkyun feels those hands against his skin gripping proactively against him; firm and comforting hold which makes Changkyun realize even more how close he is to Kihyun. And he's letting him get that close. Changkyun's brain feels foggy, cloudy and filled with longing and all things imaginable. Maybe his mind is reaching a little too far too early, but his vivid thoughts don't know the word stop. 

Changkyun's inexperienced hands gravitate to cup Kihyun's cheeks, pulling his face closer. He should do something too rather than lay here and have Kihyun do all the work. Maybe, start with only a small peck. He's never kissed a guy before but, he doesn't want to dismiss the fact that he wants to right now. Besides, it can't be  _ that _ different. Lips are still lips, right?

Eyes fluttering shut and taking one last inhale and exhale. Slowly, Changkyun lifts his head to meet halfway with Kihyun. At least, that's his plan until the warmth between his hands are not within his grasp. He opens his eyes, staring back at the ruby red that looks back at him, face further away.

"Nuh uh, no kiss policy." Kihyun had pulled away once he noticed how close his lips were almost close to touching Changkyun's. He wasn't sure what the other was planning to do until it could have been too late. 

"The what?" Changkyun's face twists in confusion and disappointment. The conversation they had the first time about kissing being intimate. Did Kihyun  _ really  _ mean that he doesn't do kissing? Changkyun thought it to be something Kihyun didn't do when he was biting his victims but, he actually stays true to those words?  _ He's insane.  _ "Wait, so you never kissed anyone? Like nothing at all for your whole life?"

"Is that a problem?" Kihyun plays it off with a smile like it's not even weird.  _ It's super weird! How do you not even have a peck on the lips for more than a hundred years?! That's— what even is that? What do you call that?  _ Kihyun has to be lying, that's some strong ass resistance. 

"So not even a small peck on the lips? Like a quick smooch or a brush of lips?"

Kihyun shakes his head. "Not allowed. I can however," He leans a little more, his head going for Changkyun's ear. Before he even speaks again, Changkyun mewls at the breath that hits his skin followed by the sucking against his neck.  _ That's going to leave a big mark _ . There's a tug of his shirt as Kihyun plays with the third button between his fingers. "Kiss you in other places." The button loses its place in securing the shirt together, exposing more of Changkyun's chest. 

"But it's not the place that I want right now.I want a big wet kiss." Changkyun is starting to feel ballsy yet, Kihyun snickers at the line. Changkyun wants to test Kihyun's limits now and what he and both of them can do. Nothing too extreme, Changkyun can only take in so many things for someone who is straight. Well, for someone who is still questioning which he prefers. This probably gives Changkyun all the answers to not question anymore. God, his brain is losing control. Fuck, what is he doing. Changkyun can't be in denial, he's letting his true self come out right now. "You're being unfair again. If I let you bite me would you do it? Would you then kiss me?"  _ God Kihyun, it's not that hard.  _

It feels strange to touch and sensually bite each other but not even share a single kiss. Changkyun honestly likes the feel of kissing someone, depending on how good the kiss is of course. He likes to take control but also have someone take control, there's a balance that he needs.

"No can do. I don't take bribes." Kihyun goes to unbutton the fourth one and in view comes his stomach. Changkyun doesn't have abs, but they're slowly forming. He has a pretty nice formed body and his arms hide more under the shirts he wears. 

Changkyun shivers when Kihyun whispers and a knee comes between his legs. He can't help but let out a choking groan at the pressure between his legs.  _ Yeah, Changkyun isn't straight. What was he thinking? _

He feels the cool air hit the exposed parts of his skin and fingers teasingly ghosting over him. Kihyun will do almost anything that Changkyun will say, as long as it doesn't cross any lines. Changkyun might as well experiment to see what he likes, especially when Kihyun is so touchy. Kihyun will kiss him anywhere but his lips, right? Maybe… 

"Can you kiss my cheek? Will you kiss me there? Please." 

Kihyun leans down to place a small peck on the cheek. It's not that hard and it's soft when his lips touch his skin like anywhere else on his body. Changkyun could have turned his head, but that might have created some problems considering Kihyun is so adamant about not kissing on the lips. Besides the obvious, that cheek kiss felt really nice. So Changkyun says:

"Another."

Kihyun obliges. He lingers there, this time ending with a big smooch. When he pulls away, there's a spark that starts within Changkyun's eyes, one that Kihyun has never really seen before in anyone else. It's how Changkyun still wants Kihyun close to him despite being a vampire or a "monster". Kihyun may be different from other vampires (extremely different) and doesn't act anything like a human at times but Changkyun still wants him close. That makes Kihyun more eager to give him what he wants. To show that he isn't what people portray him out to be.

"Hands. Continue moving them." Changkyun voices out just above a whisper.

"Too vague." Kihyun pipes up. He's teasing, knowing which spot on Changkyun seems to make him jolt. He pretends he doesn't know.

"Waist. Chest. Please."

With more of Changkyun's upper body exposed, it gives Kihyun a delicious view of his collarbones and the end of his neck. He doesn't want to take it too far with the touches, but just enough that it satisfies the both of them. His brain and hands are going haywire, and looking down at Changkyun's pretty face makes him bite his lip.  _ He is so cute. He truly is insanely cute.  _ Kihyun wants to bite him. Affectionately that is.

Angling Changkyun's head with his right, Kihyun's daring left hand makes a stop at the outer part of his clothed thigh. The fabric is thin and soft, perfect for him to still feel any touches without having to remove anything.  _ Except the buttons on his shirt. Those aren't needed right now to secure his top anymore.  _ Kihyun's hands don't seem to listen as they go nowhere near the waist or chest, choosing a different location to pleasure Changkyun. He squeezes the thigh, moving it closer to his body, fangs brushing against Changkyun's jaw. There's another noise of satisfaction that fills the air that sounds sweet as honey.

Changkyun's hands find their way to Kihyun's shoulders. He ponders if he should touch him too? He doesn't even know what to do other than lay under Kihyun and squirm. What do men like? What does Changkyun even like that Kihyun could like.  _ Fuck, he doesn't know.  _ But he likes the soft yet a hint of possessiveness that Kihyun handles him with; it makes him craving for more. Changkyun thinks that's what it is and he doesn't mind it at all. Keep going if needed, be his guest. 

The way Kihyun's eyes seem to glow brighter than the ceiling light is captivating and alluring. Changkyun can get lost within them and he knows it's not Kihyun's doing. Pausing to see what Changkyun plans to do, Kihyun watches in earnestness. Seeing how callow fingers touch his neck awkwardly that it's almost funny. The fingers move to the collar of the v-neck, hands spreading open to touch his collar bones. They slide to the hem of the sweater so he can start returning some favors as his planned kiss fell through.

His hands slide down the sleeves of the sweater, slowly and experimenting as Changkyun takes a peek at Kihyun's bare shoulders and  _ nope _ .  _ Nope. Nope. Nope. That was way too much to see. Please brain calm down at the vivid image.  _ How Kihyun's skin looked so smooth and soft under the bedroom light and not at how it gave Changkyun a picture of Kihyun shirtless. He pushes the collar back up to its place of where it should be. The fabric hides most of his skin again and Changkyun wants it to stay there.

"I hope you at least liked what you saw despite it not being much." Kihyun grins. 

"Kiss me lower." Changkyun demands, softly, funny enough. He needs a distraction even though the source of his desire and neediness is right above him. 

"That's too vague again~" Kihyun sing-songs, smirks with a thought in mind and it's like Changkyun feels as if he can read where Kihyun's thoughts are. His red eyes glimmer at the thought. It makes his face heat up so much he probably needs a temperature taken.  _ Did he mean…  _

"Not in the spot you're thinking of. Too low." Changkyun moans out when Kihyun obliges by kissing between his collarbones without any care in the world if anyone hears him. All the potential vampires on the block could probably hear but, he shoves that thought away; it's not important. "Your other hand, don't make it stop moving. Please." 

Changkyun feels pretty powerful that he, a mere human, is controlling a vampire. It makes him feel phenomenal by not only the power of it all, but how each touch sends waves of pleasure to the tips of his tingly toes. He chalks it up to this being his first time ever experiencing something like this or that he's just very sensitive. Either way, Changkyun's body can't stop the pooling feeling of wanting more when Kihyun doesn't listen. Mainly, when Kihyun doesn't listen and Changkyun has to keep expressing where his hands need to be.

"Heh, you're so interesting." Kihyun says too vaguely. He places a kiss on Changkyun's shoulder softly, his lips slowly going down to his biceps to lay a kiss on that. Changkyun lifts up his hands and places them back on Kihyun's shoulder. He's going to try again, wanting to gauge at least something, some sort of reaction. Changkyun can't make up his mind when it comes to Kihyun. "Back again for more of me?"

"Hush. If you're not going to kiss my lips, hush." Changkyun laughs when he watches Kihyun's mouth drop open in surprise. Kihyun joins in with Changkyun's laughter, moving in closer to pinch his cheeks. It's another contrast compared to his glowing eyes, it makes Changkyun feel a little more comfortable. Almost refreshing, like a redemption. 

"You're so adamant aren't you. You can be so mouthy." 

"Well, you're so touchy but also not touching me enough. You never stop teasing me do you?" Changkyun grips Kihyun's shoulder, pulling the sleeves down for a second time and embarrassingly running his hands on the bare skin.  _ It's soft, but he's so fucking flustered.  _ Changkyun rubs a thumb against the shoulder, his other fingers crawling to run across the shoulder blades. He closes his eyes and retracts his hands once he hears Kihyun let out a noise. He did better than before but maybe this is as far as they'll go for touching.  _ At least Changkyun will feel a little more comfortable for when he gets bit again.  _

"Better. Let me know when you want to touch me some more. Don't be shy around me." Kihyun's eyes look as if they glow brighter as his desire grows stronger. Changkyun nods, hands gripping Kihyun's sweater as he feels a kiss being placed below his ear. "While I don't have your consent to fully bite you, I do love your neck. If it's one thing we vampires love, it's a beautiful neck." Kihyun sucks on the neck some more, once again dragging his fangs along the valleys of hickeys on Changkyun's neck. "I can stop if you want me to?"

"I never said to stop. If that was the case, I would have said so earlier." 

"Glad we're on the same page."

Changkyun groans in exasperation. "Less talking, more pleasure." Which reminds him, how much more could Kihyun do beside neck kisses and touching. It was way too early to be doing anything else together. How much would be too much for right now? How much more did Changkyun need? He has so many questions he needs a handbook. 

What he does need right now is a kiss on the lips. 

Before Kihyun's hand can make it back to Changkyun's waist, another voice talks over their moment in loud enthusiasm. They stop, both sucking in a breath as they look into each other's eyes. Kihyun smells him before he makes it to the room, he can even smell what he's brought over. It's greasy, something with meat and oil and shouldn't be made for consumption, not even for humans. His eyes lose the red glow and his fangs hide back to human form.  _ Great.  _ Even though a new guest has arrived, that doesn't stop Kihyun from reaching down to nibble Changkyun's neck. Only a few minutes left,  _ please.  _ He's needy for blood and must compromise for the time being.

Changkyun grunts at the slight pressure, not needing to see how marked up his neck has become. Guess it's going back to wearing turtlenecks despite not getting bit; it was fun while it lasted. They need to stop right now; there's company in his house and Kihyun seems really relaxed about the "intrusion". It's somebody they both know.

"Kihyun, someone is here!" Changkyun cups Kihyun's face to remove him from leeching his neck. His cheeks are a pretty rosy pink, it compliments his now caramel brown eyes. "I have to answer the door."

"Can I go turn off the light? Pretend we're not here?" Kihyun pouts, batting his eyes to invoke some sort of agreement to his idea. "Pretty please~"

"Now look at who the adamant one is, you got me surprised." Changkyun pats Kihyun's cheeks, not nudging any further. Jooheon uses this trick to get what he wants and Changkyun isn't planning to fall victim to those sad eyes. This is probably all he can take for now. He needs to cool himself down and take a breather. Changkyun is actually shocked at his own actions, but he also doesn't regret it. 

Kihyun pulls away from Changkyun with a sigh and plops his body next to him. He huffs in frustration, as he bites the inside of his cheek. He mumbles to himself as he fixes his shirt and hair. 

"I swear to fucking god I just want to be left alone and uninterrupted. I thought Minhyuk was the first and last." Kihyun says between them and Changkyun holds a laugh. 

"How much more could we have possibly done?" Changkyun chuckles a little as he looks back at him. "I did say go easy on me."

Damn, Changkyun just realized how turned on he got and how his brain and hands switched on something within him _ .  _ He looks towards Kihyun for a brief moment before fanning himself as he looks back at what they did moments ago. Changkyun thinks he has a secret side he doesn't know and isn't sure what to do with this info. 

There's a polite knock on the bedroom door, very soft. Despite not even knocking or ringing the doorbell downstairs for the door, there's one for the bedroom. Changkyun finds that amusing. He takes this time to hurriedly button up his shirt and straighten his hair. 

"We know it's you Wonho; or at least I do. Come on in." Kihyun covers his eyes with his forearm, blocking the blinding ceiling light. 

"Hm, I don't think Changkyun is home; that's too bad. Maybe he's in the shower." Wonho's voice breaks the air.

"What the hell?" Kihyun sits up as his face twists. Changkyun blinks with trained eyes at the door. "Wonho come inside. We're both here. Changkyun can hear you."

"Guess I'll go back home." Wonho sighs in fake sadness. His shoulders drop as he looks at the food he holds. "And I even bought them food too; how sad."

Changkyun hides his face in his hands, minimizing the amount of laughing that waits his body. Kihyun throws a pillow at the door. "I know you can hear us. Stop your horrible acting and come inside."

"Did I just hear a rat? Is someone in there?" Wonho is heard beyond the door knocking once more. Kihyun chokes, then frowns at being called a rat. He grumbles under his breath as he folds his arms in defeat and before he punches the wall.

Changkyun can't take it any longer, choking a laugh but stops when Kihyun throws him a glare. He sucks his lips in to keep quiet, though it doesn't work as he laughs at the thought. Changkyun wheezes as he faces the door. "I'm in here Wonho, you can come inside."

Opening the door reveals a cheery faced Wonho, holding a bag of McDonald's that he holds up as if he scores something good. "I knew I would find you two here!" He enters, closing the door behind him. It's the first time he's been in Changkyun's room. First time being anywhere but the living room but, this is his second time here. "Are you two hungry? I bought us all something to eat!" 

"Oh, awesome! Thank you!" Changkyun smiles at the gesture. It's not Changkyun's favorite but he politely accepts because of free food. Sometimes when you're really hungry, fast food can be that guilty pleasure or whenever you want something quick. Changkyun admits the breakfast is way better than their lunch; the hashbrowns specifically are to die for. The crispy and crunchy outside, and the hot, chunky potatoes inside that melt in his mouth. Now he wishes Wonho got breakfast but they don't serve it this late.

Wonho's eyes notice the purple sunset markings on Changkyun's neck, paired with the wrinkles and misplaced buttoned buttons of his pajama top and smiles. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"I'm going to be pretty blunt but yes, yes you were." Kihyun hopes Wonho can listen to what he says, but of course, that won't do because it never does.

"Well, too bad because I'm bored and lonely so I'm going to halt your little sex party for now. I've been working all day long and Kihyun is gone most of the time, so I decided to come to the place that's practically his new home."

Changkyun feels his ears get hot, moving to rub them cool. He fans himself, watching as Kihyun groans into the air to face plant a pillow. He's throwing a little tantrum, knowing he can't nibble on anymore necks. If he can't have blood right now at least give him the chance to nibble Changkyun's neck a little more until he's satisfied (or until both of them are). Holding urges and cravings is harder than it seems; Kihyun's body _needs_ _blood_, not hamburgers and french fries. The nuggets are alright. 

"Wait, you're not a vampire, how did you get in?" Changkyun asks as he makes a little more room, watching Wonho plop onto the bed like he lives there. He opens the bag, throwing a wrapped hamburger on Kihyun's back who decides to sit up but continues to mope. It's adorning when there's a mock sullen look painted on his face as he unwraps his burger. How the bottom lip is further out than normal as if to show the level of sadness he's at; probably a ten.

"So little loose lips told you I'm not a vampire did he?" Wonho laughs, not seeming to care either way. He doesn't really care considering Changkyun knows about vampires; he must also know that there are other creatures. "The front door was actually unlocked. So I let myself in and locked it for you." Changkyun blinks at the memory.  _ Strange. Did he forget to do that? _ Wonho leans to tickle the back of Kihyun's neck, receiving a swipe of the hand to be shoo-ed away. "Ah, how much I've wanted to do that since he has stopped wearing turtlenecks."

"All of you are weird. You're all the offspring of Satan." Kihyun reaches into the bag to nibble on a french fry. It's salty, too salty, but they're better than the burgers. He sighs, brushing his fingers through his hair and decides to pay attention to the conversation in front of him. At least Changkyun has been responding more positively than he expected. Just thinking about it makes Kihyun feel a little bashful when he thinks back on it. How Changkyun still didn't run away when his vampire form came out and how his hands were on his bare skin with adoring hesitation and eyes glinting in question about what he was doing. Not to forget Changkyun and his demands and— "I think I'm dreaming. Am I dreaming?" Kihyun rubs the back of his ears. 

"Hm? You want me to pinch you?" Changkyun munches into a hamburger. He throws a fry into his mouth, sighing in finally eating something. Today was the first day he barely ate anything. Even though he hated McDonald's, it sure does taste good if you were ravenous. 

"I'm sure there was a lot of pinching while I was gone." Wonho laughs around a bunch of fries he stuffs into his mouth. He earns himself a raising hand from Kihyun that's ready to strike. "Oh come on, you're not even denying it. I know you too well Mr. Kitty Boy."

"Mister—"

"That's a cute one." Changkyun chimes in with laughter, his dimples highlighting his features. "I call him Donut Boy but Mr. Kitty Boy is a nice one."

Kihyun rolls his eyes, leaning back into the pillows to take a bite out of the burger. It tastes better than usual but it doesn't satisfy too well. "Yeah, you also call me Turtleneck and one time the Abominable Snowman."

"Pfft." Wonho snorts, covering his mouth before an accident happens. He doesn't dare look Kihyun in the eyes. "Turtleneck. I say 'No Neck' is a better nickname considering I hardly see it." Changkyun joins in, both of them snorting uncontrollably. 

"Hush, both of you or else I will bite you." Kihyun threatens as his cheeks fill up with food. He washes it down with whatever was brought over to drink. It's not water, sweet and fruity. There's a slight carbonation but definitely not soda. "I didn't come here to get picked on by you two. Though I was here mostly for Changkyun only for him to drag me into something I don't want to do." Kihyun sniffles, showing Changkyun a very convincing puppy dog eye look.

"Oh no you don't, not those eyes again." Changkyun leans to tap the tip of Kihyun's nose. "Jooheon does that to me a lot so I am immune from the puppy dog look. Besides the master is Jooheon so only he can make me crack; he's an expert." 

Kihyun shakes his head again in defeat. "I was thinking that the 'third times the charm' would do the trick." 

"Something Kihyun doesn't want to do? Isn't that almost anything? Gotta be more specific here lads." Wonho asks. He pops a fry into his mouth; a crunchy and salty one at that. It's been a while since he's chatted with Changkyun and Kihyun together. He isn't too sure what they've been up to but judging on the scene he walked in on earlier, it seemed to be something he doesn't want to join in on. 

"Minhyuk invited Kihyun and I to a nightclub to thank Kihyun but he doesn't want to tag along." Changkyun moves to reach towards Kihyun's sweater, fixing the v-collar and straightening it out. His hands brush against Kihyun's skin who becomes aware at the slight touch. It makes him almost lose control. "Actually, this should be slightly tucked in." Without any warning, Changkyun drops his burger to fix Kihyun's outfit, grabbing the hem and tucking it into his pants for him. That's not really a place to put your hands, now. Kihyun can feel Wonho's eyes on them, holding a laugh at the face he's making. "There. All better." Changkyun scoots away and gives the attention back to his burger. _So, you're not going to talk about that? _

"Is it all better Kihyun?" Wonho jokes, ready to move his arms to block any playful attacks; they never come. 

"Quiet you. And it is true that I told Changkyun I didn't want to go but it seems like I have no choice." Kihyun comments, mumbling. He hates public places. "I honestly don't think I did anything that spectacular."

"Why not go with them?" Wonho suggests, tossing a ranched french fry into his mouth. He really loves the fries more than anything. "Isn't it going to be late at night hence the word  _ night _ club. Might as well tag along while you're being invited and all."

"I know, but it's going to be crowded…" Kihyun murmurs behind his burger shield. He doesn't want to go, but Changkyun would be alone. If there's a chance he gets into danger, who knows if Kihyun could sense it. The first time was a coincidence that he was even outside and the smell of blood drew him to Changkyun. Scent can only travel so far and there's a limit between hearing and distances. "This is totally bent. I wouldn't mind a less crowded place like a park or maybe the beach."

"Wouldn't crowded places be something a vampire would avoid?" Changkyun asks, taking out the pickles from his burger when he bites into one.  _ Yuck _ . He forgets they're in there a lot of times. "We should be okay, right?" 

"Vampires always work differently. Most avoid crowds for feedings but they can still however, roam around as they please. They're unpredictable in many ways. It would be smart for one to avoid crowds, but it honestly depends." Kihyun answers, knowing there isn't a way to fully get away from a vampire other than kill them. When it comes down to that, then it's based on skill and strength. "I can't convince you not to go, right? This has been planned out and everyone is set to go?"

"Well, it's not that I don't want to stay here, it's that I can't." Changkyun changes his position to face Kihyun. "I, well, even if you can convince me to stay away from the danger, I don't want Minhyuk in the danger too. Especially if—"  _ If, Minhyuk…  _

"Especially what?" Kihyun leans to the right, trying to understand the end of Changkyun's sentence. "Is it because Minhyuk doesn't know about vampires?" He watches as Changkyun nods his head. Kihyun knows how much he worries for his friends, and also is aware of Minhyuk's  _ state _ . 

Kihyun exhales through his nose, not planning to eat the rest of his food. He's not put off by the conversation because the food sucks and he just doesn't want to eat it, but he contemplates his options. There's not many he has but Kihyun keeps a tight lip. He inhales and nods his head, knowing he has to follow along. Besides, two vampires is better than one for protection. They're going inside underage too, who knows what trouble they'll be bringing in their state.  _ It's like they know better but also don't. That, or one knows more than the other; it's frustrating.  _

"All right. Don't do anything you shouldn't do. Which is also too late considering the fake IDs but besides that, no more alright." Kihyun crosses his arms, staring down at Changkyun. He's not mad, frustrated at the predicament he's in but, he's worried, mostly. Worried about Minhyuk _and_ Changkyun the most, and Hyungwon; well, Kihyun doesn't know too much about him yet but he seems pretty good so far. Nobody has gotten hurt with him around so Kihyun doesn't worry too much, but suspicions around him and Minhyuk still stay up. 

Changkyun rapidly nods his head. "Yay!! Thank you Kihyun, thank you!" He throws the upper half of his body to hug Kihyun, arms wrapping him in a tight, thankful hug. Wonho smiles, letting out an airy chuckle as he watches the two. 

The thing is that Changkyun would have gone out of the situation anyways but since Minhyuk is involved, Changkyun can't really convince Minhyuk to cancel the plans. How would Changkyun explain about not going to a nightclub without saying be careful of vampires. To be afraid of strangers is one thing, but also vampires who have superhuman abilities; Changkyun wouldn't explain it all too well.

He let's Kihyun go and continues. "Of course. I know you don't want me telling Minhyuk about the vampires and even if I do warn him, he'll probably laugh and think I'm watching too much of 'The Lair of the White Worm'. But my lips will be sealed and I will not further myself in more trouble." It's quiet as everyone stares at Changkyun, stumped out of the conversation. 

"The white worm? That's a vampire movie?" Kihyun asks. "Is that referring to us as maggots? Fucking humans." Changkyun whips his head at the comment. Kihyun furrows his brows, moving to fluff his pillow he now declares his. "Not you, obviously."

"It sounds ugly. I don't know why but it does." Wonho moves to finish the last of his burger and fries, almost forgetting about his drink. He takes a few sips. There's nothing really else to do other than watch the television or go outside. Noticing this quickly, Kihyun decides the best thing he can do at the moment to pass the time. 

"I'm going to sleep hoping that the food I just ate doesn't end up killing me in my sleep." Kihyun throws one last french fry he had in his hand into his mouth (despite his sentence) before he lays down. He doesn't bother throwing the blankets over him but he almost kicks Wonho off the bed. He does however use his feet to try and make Wonho scoot away from him so Kihyun can have the freedom to stretch out his legs. "Let me know when Wonho is gone so we can continue our session of donating blood."

"We were not doing anything like that!" Changkyun shouts. 

"You should look in the mirror and see if your argument still stands." Wonho points out before gathering any wrappers and trash to put into the bag. "Your neck looks like the solar system with all the purples and blue. Something must have erupted on your neck because I don't think that's grape jelly." 

Changkyun covers his neck with a loud slap and a curse under his breath. He looks down in embarrassment, taking notice at how his buttons aren't even lined up correctly on his shirt.  _ Awesome…  _

"I can't believe you two let me eat and converse normally while I look like a mess. Wonho must have thought I got attacked by an animal." 

"Oh, I bet I know who caused that animal attack. Must have been so vicious." Wonho hums in amusement as he stares at Kihyun's back. He gets himself playfully kicked by a grumbling Kihyun. 

"Hm? What was that? Want me to dye your hair you say?" Changkyun smiles for a few seconds before his arm gets pulled and is soon embraced by Kihyun who wraps a tight enough grip around his body. They lay with one another as Wonho continues to eat, opening his desert of a mini apple pie without a care. Without a heads up, Kihyun dives for Changkyun's neck, hands gripping his shoulder and Kihyun whines at the lack of blood he can consume which is none. 

"Kihyun! Wonho is literally right there." Changkyun can't wiggle with how powerful Kihyun's grip is. It's not even forceful or extremely tight, it's just strong. 

"I know, maybe this will make him leave faster if we can continue." 

"Aw, that's a sweet gesture to think about my wellbeing but I think I'm going to sleep here with you guys so scoot over." Wonho places his apple pie down beside the bed, already standing on his knees moving to the only open spot left. That's until a blockade comes in his way. 

"Sorry, all spaces are occupied until further notice." Kihyun spreads out a leg to cover any open spaces.

"Hm," Wonho thinks for a little. "I'll take this spot then." He lands straight onto Kihyun with most of his weight on the lower back, not intentionally hurting him. Changkyun's eyes widen, but that doesn't wipe away the impressed look on his face as Kihyun's body bends at the soreness and lets out a discomforting groan. 

Kihyun smacks Wonho's arm, and uses his leg to try and move the big body off of him. Wonho is full of muscle and not the type of person you want on top of you. "You asshole! You could have killed me or poked a hole in my lung." 

Changkyun continues to watch the fiasco between the two as it's obvious Kihyun doesn't use his strength to push Wonho off. Taking away his vampire powers, Kihyun's strength is really that of a mere human being, and it showcases here. Kihyun squirms, trying his hardest to push Wonho off of him from slapping his leg to wiggling his body until he's panting from the weight and tiredness. Changkyun has the urge to laugh but he refrains, knowing the outcome of it if he does.

"This looks like a really bad wrestling match that I'm being forced to watch."

"Wonho," Kihyun heaves out, clutching on Changkyun like it's his last lifeline. "Get off of me before I suck your blood." 

"If you do you'll die. Ghouls blood isn't made for consumption." Wonho slides off and lays on his back. Changkyun is surprised they all fit in the same bed; much to Kihyun's dismay. 

He begins to grumble because that's all he can do at this point, hiding in Changkyun's neck some more. Changkyun can feel his lips and nose rub against his skin. "I don't have any piece of mind here at all."

"That's not true." Changkyun frowns, moving to scoot back so that Wonho can fit and he drags Kihyun closer with him. 

It's nice to spend the day like this. He wouldn't mind days like this where things are more relaxed and slower paced. Not only that, with Wonho around, Changkyun feels like he can open up more and joke around a little more than usual. Changkyun pats Kihyun's head and is given a mumbled sentence with groans that makes him laugh.

"Don't worry, I'm not staying here too long. I got some work to do back at the house. So I'm not planning to do those things you kids do at each other's houses." Wonho shimmies in his spot to get comfortable. He moves to tickle Kihyun's neck, laughing when they gain a reaction of a small yelp and his muscles spasming. Kihyun moans in disappointment and hides further into Changkyun's neck. 

The way it seems like Kihyun's neck is a sensitive spot for him is amusing. Changkyun chuckles until something stabs his back that causes him to groan as it presses against his spine. It's hard and an irregular shape that makes him arch his back. Wonho looks over to the noise and Kihyun lifts up his head, watching Changkyun contort his arm behind him to remove whatever was bothering him. It takes a few different angles and tries, but after pulling it out reveals to be the Etch A Sketch Kihyun was playing with. 

"Heh, opps." Kihyun smiles innocently.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kihyun wishes he was warned about the outfit that Changkyun was wearing would be a little revealing. It's not bad, but whenever Changkyun reaches or bends down for something or decides to stretch like a cat in the sunlight, Kihyun ends up seeing more than he expects. How reaching for a plate made a view to see the curve of Changkyun's lower back. Reaching to brush the bangs out of his face reveals more of his laced sleeves. 

The lace makes his skin look so exquisite and so effortlessly pretty for his body type.

Not to mention, Changkyun is constantly checking himself out in the mirror and purposefully showing his big ass that still pops in the loose fitted pants. Kihyun sees it all because everytime it happens, he's there and it's in his face. All Kihyun has been doing is ogling Changkyun up and down, his eyes magnets to whatever the man is doing. Changkyun also asks Kihyun how good he looks as if his appearance changes every hour despite not changing his looks.  _ This all feels very intentional.  _

"How long are you going to stare at yourself in the mirror. I don't see it taking photos of you." Kihyun has had enough. He's about to go insane at this point, it's too much exposure especially when he can't do anything. 

Today, there's a little more sense in his mind. If he pulls Changkyun into his lap like the day before yesterday, he knows something a little more out of their control could possibly conspire. So he refrains this time around. Even if they didn't hold back, the party would be long forgotten. Kihyun is still surprised he's going along with the fake IDs Changkyun and his friends brought with them. He's not going to lie how well they've been made; they look pretty legit. Minhyuk or one of his many friends of others friends probably had connections somewhere to have it done and it works. 

Now that they're ready to go, (at least, Kihyun believes they're ready) Kihyun sits on the bed playing with a metal button on his jacket. It's denim, a dark blue almost to a black with a thin scarf hanging from his neck. His outfit is practically black from head to toe almost matching along with Changkyun. Kihyun did avoid getting his hair dyed by Changkyun hours ago and thankfully his hair is still it's nice tree bark dark brown. He remembers Changkyun massaging his head which felt super great, until the sound of a package ripped open. That was Kihyun's heads up to book it for an hour.

"I'm making sure everything is in order. I was going to paint a few of my nails black but I decided this would be enough for now." Changkyun examines his hands that soon fix his collar. The hickeys on his neck have subsided but they're still on his neck under the makeup that Changkyun found in his parents room. They're still on that business trip but Kihyun hasn't heard much about them, or anything other than the fact that Changkyun's parents are still alive and well in another country. 

Kihyun physically has to turn away when Changkyun fixes his pants and straightens out the lace from curling up. Each inch of skin he's been shown tonight has been a test from God. It was like Kihyun was being watched as to how much he can hold back and see how long it would be before he broke. Maybe this would be a great time to wait downstairs or wait in another room until Changkyun is  _ actually  _ ready.

"Okay, should we go now? Minhyuk told me yesterday that he would be outside with Hyungwon waiting for us." 

Kihyun nods his head.  _ Yes, please let's get this all over with.  _ Changkyun gives one last stretch to intentionally or unintentionally show the curves of his back, giving a nice s-line that Kihyun has to once again physically turn away. Where was this energy before? Kihyun believes that Changkyun  _ has  _ to be doing this to test Kihyun's cravings. Why else would this happen? That or Changkyun really feels he is opening up more to him, and Kihyun can smile at that thought; it's a good one. A little too open for Kihyun's heart and mind to handle. 

Without any other words besides Changkyun's hyper "let's go!", they actually get moving this time. Kihyun doesn't know how long it's really been, he doesn't feel like doing the math in his head, but it's been awhile since he's gone out to something like this since around 1841. He was still a child even, he didn't get to experience that much with his childhood getting pretty fucked up too soon. Although Kihyun never had a normal time growing up like a normal kid, he can't really say that despite being born in an earlier time, he still never got to see much. 

After everything that has happened, Kihyun has been living life to the best that he could make it for someone like him. What else was a vampire supposed to do in the human world? He couldn't do much and couldn't stay in one place. Always moving around and traveling overseas on a boat which took a month, and also a month without blood. Kihyun knows what it feels like to not have blood for a long period of time. He's not used to it, but each day it's harder to resist. 

Kihyun watches Changkyun walk in front of him, his outfit blending in with colors of the night and the minimal streetlights on the street which illuminate a few parts of exposed skin as he stretches his arms up.  _ Jesus Christ.  _ Kihyun is really glad Changkyun didn't go walking down the streets alone in such an outfit. 

"You cold?" Kihyun decides to ask, knowing Changkyun didn't bring a jacket. He walks a little closer to him, matching his steps to the same quick speed. The way Changkyun's hands clutch the air and arms stiff at his side with shoulders up to his ears and some points. 

"I don't want to ruin my outfit though. The denim won't work with this sort of look." Changkyun chatters, rubbing his hands together. Kihyun doesn't fall for it because that's not an excuse.

"So? Are you planning to die from hypothermia while looking sexy?" The chuckle that leaves Kihyun also has a white cloud escape his lips from the cold temperatures from the night. He begins to take off his jacket. "You know, people have died because they didn't want to wear a jacket all because it would make their outfit look less striking or whatever you guys say these times."

"Rad." 

"Okay." Kihyun makes the both of them stop as he wraps Changkyun in the jacket. He's lucky they're practically the same size that they could fit each other's clothes. "Still, you should worry a little more about yourself more. It's nice that you think of others but, also think more about yourself, you got that?"

Changkyun stares back at Kihyun's face, not saying a word. Despite the cold air around them, it doesn't stop from Changkyun's ears getting hot and red. Thank God his lucky stars there aren't many lights on the street. Guess it can have it's pros whenever it can.

"I'll try but I can't promise you anything. It's going to get hot inside the nightclub so I'll give it back to you when we get near it." 

Kihyun steps back with a nod of his head. That's good enough for him, and for now at least. He pats his back, giving it a little push as they begin to walk down the street. Actually, Kihyun doesn't know where this place is at, but he believes it shouldn't be far. They live in a small town which means there's mostly houses and very little stores. He's surprised this small town has a nightclub.

They stay close together and walk side by side where Changkyun's shoulders aren't as stiff as they used to be but he still fiddles with his hand to keep them warm. Kihyun would hold his hand but his own fingers aren't seeing any side of the warmth. They're freezing and wouldn't make Changkyun less colder than he is. Not to mention the street is pitch black Kihyun can barely even make out his feet. He can only see a little bit of Changkyun and his figure beside him. 

"Why isn't there much light on the streets? Isn't that dangerous for anybody walking around this part?" Kihyun comments, his lips hurting from the cold.

"In this part of town, it's because we're in a section where there's not a lot of crime that happens. It's weird because it gets cut off just before my street and it ends up getting super dark." Changkyun feels Kihyun's shoulder brush against his and regrets not having pockets. He should have brought some black gloves because this cold isn't helping. "But heading down Main Street is where you have the most light at night. You can still walk into the mail office for some unknown reason. Mostly to drop off small letters though but that's—"

"Woah." Kihyun stops in his tracks and he spots a figure up ahead. By instinct, his hand comes out to block Changkyun's movements, forcing him to not take another step as well. He gets a closer look at it, hearing its feet clack faintly against the concrete.

It's a deer crossing the empty street. He hasn't seen one in a few that he forgot they existed. They almost look creepy at night with their long and skinny legs. They wait for a moment to let it cross, watching it walk behind the church building.

"Good thing you reacted quickly. You can't get too close to them unless you want to break an arm like Jooheon." 

"Can't I just let you hop on my back and we can flit to the place? Is this walking really necessary?" Kihyun is tired from walking. He's not used to getting around by walking that much and prefers his alternative own method of transportation.

"No, I don't want Minhyuk wondering how ok in the world you teleported your way in front of him. You might give him a heart attack."

Kihyun scoffs. "A magician never reveals his secrets." Changkyun can't help himself but laugh at the comment.  _ Nice try, but no magical moving.  _

The walk takes about ten minutes, walking down Main Street and like Changkyun said, it does have the most light in the street. Surprisingly, there are a few people walking down the sidewalk that Kihyun could count them all on his ten fingers. They move past one another coming the way they're going and that's the last Kihyun can see before he focuses on what is in front of him. 

Heading down the further without much more words exchanged, they turn the corner where they are met with a neon pink and green sign which illuminates the area around them. There's already people outside standing around and it looks too packed already for Kihyun's tastes. The building looks a little out of place for the town but hell, what does he know. He moves closer to Changkyun, afraid of getting lost. It catches him off guard when someone runs towards their way with open enthusiastic arms. 

Kihyun smells it the moment Minhyuk runs into him for a hug. It's Minhyuk, except there's something else on him other than what he presumes to be Hyungwon's scent. And speaking of Hyungwon, this has been the first time Kihyun has met him face to face. The same age as Minhyuk and Changkyun he presumes but his tall stature makes Kihyun think otherwise. A small nose, big lips with eyes also big that were sharp despite their size. 

_ So this is Hyungwon.  _ His face seems more fit for a magazine or television with looks like that. Still, Kihyun makes sure. He knows it's not Jooheon. Minhyuk let's him go, moving to capture Changkyun in a choking hug leaving the two to meet.

"Hyungwon, right?" Kihyun holds out a hand. He smells it on Hyungwon too; it's most definitely coming from him. "Changkyun has talked a lot about you."

"The one and only." Hyungwon doesn't suspect anything. Either that or he chooses not to and moves on. He reaches out to shake Kihyun's stretched out hand. "Changkyun and Minhyuk both mentioned you to me. They would stop talking my ear off." 

"I'm pretty sure Changkyun is probably bad mouthing me to you." Kihyun laughs when Changkyun gasps within Minhyuk's hold. 

"I do not!" Well, except for when Changkyun called the police, maybe that one time, but he swears that was the first and last. He's learned and grown from that incident. "You're the one with a bad mouth." Changkyun mumbles and it catches Kihyun's guard.

"Oh? Care to explain?" Kihyun shoots a knowing, lopsided smirk his way. Changkyun swears to God he better not have to explain what they mean. 

"Well, looks like we're going to do some catching up inside with whatever you two have been doing." Minhyuk smiles, moving to capture Changkyun's hands, already dragging him inside the building before he speaks up. "Come on, it's freezing out here and we should start getting a move on."

Kihyun watches the two leap away and he sighs, trying his hardest to not make it known. Hyungwon turns his head towards the sound, chuckling to himself. 

"Tired already?" They begin to walk to the entrance where Minhyuk and Changkyun stand in the short line. Hyungwon continues, eyes trained on Minhyuk's figure in the distance. "You're not the only one. I didn't want to come too but Minhyuk wanted a distraction." 

_So, it was a distraction_. A way to forget what happened days ago yet, some distractions are only temporary. 

"He looks happy today. It's better than how he looked when he walked in Changkyun's house. Do you think he'll be alright?" Kihyun pauses, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. This all feels so foreign. 

"I hope so." Hyungwon exhales, following suit as he watches Minhyuk and Changkyun step inside; looks like it worked. "I haven't known Minhyuk fully considering I'm a friend who didn't grow up with him and is a classmate of his but, he's in happier spirits lately."

Kihyun can only nod his head before he's made to show his ID. And from there, he gets separated from Hyungwon for a short while to be met up with Changkyun who stands in the corner waiting. Before he can say anything, Minhyuk comes out of nowhere to whisk Hyungwon away and up the stairs and… off they go he guesses. Changkyun hands back Kihyun his jacket. It's way more hotter in here than outside, that it feels as if he's already sweating. Kihyun feels out of place and doesn't want to take the stairs up to where the booming music is starting from. 

Changkyun's lips move, but Kihyun could barely make it out with how loud it is around them before he starts walking off. The music fucks up Kihyun's hearing a little and he knows that it must be a sign to stay alert. Whatever was said, Kihyun follows Changkyun up the stairs that have already started a lot of the action. He's never seen anything like this in his life that Kihyun believes he's stepped into a different world. Actually, he's surprised that everyone still has their clothes on and hasn't seen anyone's nipples, so there's a plus. 

The stairs are a long way up as if walking to the nightclub wasn't enough. The way up is a little dim but brighter inside than outside. Kihyun puts his jacket back on as he walks, hoping to keep an eye on Changkyun who said he wouldn't do anything else that he shouldn't. As they ascend further up, the music becomes louder as the bass picks up and makes Kihyun's body vibrate. He can't tell if that's a good or bad thing.

Stepping inside after reaching the top step has the place reeking of sweat, perfume and alcohol in the nightclub, the odor strong, not even wanting to breathe in the air. They're on the top floor now, a railing in front of them and below is the dancefloor. Below is more livelier with the color lights flashing and scattered men and women dancing. Already Kihyun feels a little claustrophobic. He can barely hear himself think and the lights fucks up vision. In the corner are some people making out and he turns away only to see something a little too much pda on his other side.  _ Already, this sucks. _

"Didn't I say I hate large crowds? Yet, here I am." Nobody hears Kihyun over the loud music that sounds as if they were to break the speaker boxes. Changkyun doesn't even turn back to check up on him and make sure he's still following. He isn't sure if people are so drugged and dosed up that they can't hear the music, they either are used to it being this loud, or maybe this is all a nightmare that Kihyun can get out if he wishes really hard. 

And of course, there has to be more stairs going down. Anymore and Kihyun thinks his thighs are going match Wonho's bulky arms. There's a line of pay phones in one corner right next to the bar that's across the dancefloor and on the other side of the room. Honestly, Kihyun could use a drink right now, but maybe when Changkyun isn't looking. No drugs and no alcohol for the still eighteen year old. And,  _ wait— _

It's almost too late when Kihyun notices Changkyun is out of his sight so smooth and almost undetected. He reaches for his wrist, pulling Changkyun close just in time before a drunk woman stumbles her way through. What a coincidence that was. 

"Thanks." Changkyun yells and Kihyun can actually hear him. "Are you having fun?"

"All we've done is stand here, Changkyun." What was Kihyun supposed to do? He can't let loose because he needs to make sure they make it out here in one sober piece. If he takes his eyes off something for more than a mere second it's already across the whole room. The lights get in the way of vision and the loud noise makes it worse. It's a culture shock for Kihyun.

This was a bad idea. Kihyun knows it all too well, the signs are there and yet, he walks straight into a potential lion's den. He lets himself get pulled away by Changkyun, mentioning something about sitting down at the bar. His ears slowly adjust to the sounds but Kihyun knows his ear will still be ringing for days the second he gets out of this building. 

Once they reach the bottom of the stairs, Kihyun feels so small as every inch of him gets closer to the dancefloor. There's a ball the spine above the ceiling that changes colors and the floor feels sticky at some parts, he doesn't want to know what has been spilled. His foot sticks and he stumbles a little trying to keep up with Changkyun's pace who walks faster than usual. Further and further into the dancfloor they go, like Alice going down the rabbit hole.

Bodies bump into Kihyun and he honestly thinks someone has touched his arm he looks back to see who the culprit is but, he can't tell when everyone isn't paying attention. Did they come here to sit or is Changkyun going to go out and mingle like humans normally do? Was Changkyun here for support and worried about his friend and didn't plan to party or dance? At this point, Kihyun doesn't really know anymore, his head is thumping as loud as the bass.

He watches Changkyun sit at the bar and in the distance sees someone walking amongst the dancing crowd. He leans to get a better look to see Hyungwon in the distance who ends up locking eyes with him. Kihyun watches Hyungwon's finger touch the bottom of his eye as he frowns, letting his finger slide down his cheek like a tear. It makes Kihyun laugh because  _ same  _ knowing they were both dragged here not knowing really what to do. 

Kihyun check up on Changkyun and leans in from behind, noticing an untouched glass of blue liquid in front of Changkyun. _For one thing, water isn't that blue_. This is a nightclub which would clearly sell the alcoholic beverages and the strongest ones at that. Nothing here was safe for any age considering how bad it messes up one's body. And knowing that Changkyun was underage to drink, he snatches the drink. 

"Hey—"

Kihyun takes out the lemon that sits on top, also removing the straw to chug it all down. It's not a shot glass which makes it harder for him to drink it down and includes more alcohol for him to consume. He tastes the hard liquor of vodka mixed with lemonade and whatever else they put into it. It's a little sweet but most bitter with the tropical flavors waltzing on his tongue. Kihyun let's a cherry fall into his mouth at the last drink and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, settling the empty glass back down on the counter. He pushes his weight onto the table to face a wide-eyed Changkyun as he slowly pushes the cherry out from his mouth. Kihyun lets it hang from there as it's still attached to the stem. 

It takes Changkyun a while to realize what exactly Kihyun is doing and when he does, he feels a heavy amount of embarrassment dumping over him. _Is he supposed to lean in? With all these people around too? _Changkyun looks at his surroundings before doing anything that gets him scrutinized. It was risky. The people behind Kihyun chat away and the bartender doesn't pay him any attention as he fixes their drinks. Everyone on the dancefloor is worried more about having a good time, and that's when Changkyun comes to a realization that he should hurry up. 

Quickly, his eyes dart back to the cherry that bounces from Kihyun's teeth and deciding to grow an extra pair, Changkyun leans in. He reminds himself about the stupid no kissing policy but still tilts his head as if he were about to.  _ Must be nice if it could actually happen.  _

Changkyun feels the cherry touch his lips, smooth yet hard. His lips engulf the edible treat, and he panics at how Kihyun sits and stares him down nonchalantly with his lips at the other end. This has been the closest moment of them almost kissing that Changkyun feels like he wants to stay in this position a few seconds more, but he pulls away, snapping the cherry off its stem. 

_ God that feels so humiliating form Changkyun's end, he feels like he fucked up.  _ He lifts a hand to cover his mouth and rub the back of his neck. Kihyun discards the steam into the cup as Changkyun chews his cherry. Seeing this, Changkyun reaches into the cup for the stem.

"Wanna see something cool that I can do with my tongue?" Changkyun shouts and Kihyun blinks in surprise. It's almost cartoonish the way his eyes grow so big.

"We're not making out Changkyun." Kihyun yells back. This distance for conversation is a better one for his ears but he hates having to shout for the whole club to hear. It's not like they can hear anyways, but still.

"That's not what I meant! I can tie a knot into this cherry stem with only using my tongue."

"What?" Kihyun heard what Changkyun said, but he's confused at how that's even possible, but Changkyun thinks he's speaking too low.

"You're not drunk are you?" Changkyun asks, squinting as he tries to hear what Kihyun has to say over the music. It's hard listening to the other speak yet hear the lyrics of someone singing. His ears aren't as good as Kihyun's because he barely hears him.

"After one drink? I'm a light-weight but not so much that I'll pass out after a gulp of hard liquor." 

_ What? What did he say?  _ Changkyun didn't catch any of that.

"Can you nod or shake your head? I didn't hear you."

Kihyun shakes his head. Changkyun would ask what is his limit but he doesn't get to ask when Minhyuk comes out of left field to circle his arm to tug, his lips moving to say something. Both Kihyun and Changkyun look in confusion, watching Hyungwon jog his way to them.  _ Changkyun has a trick to do, let him and Kihyun be please. _

"Sorry, Minhyuk walked away to find Changkyun when I wasn't paying attention after I said I didn't want to dance." Hyungwon apologizes, clutching his head and brushes his hair to split his bangs. 

"How did you not pay attention?" Kihyun yells back, watching as Minhyuk tries to drag Changkyun up from his seat. 

"Have you seen the weird things people do in here?" One of Hyungwon's eyebrows shoots up in question. Have they not been seeing the same things? "I don't mean to be nosy and stare but, when it's right in front of you it's kind of hard to avoid."

True, he got distracted by Hyungwon a while ago; can't argue with that. Changkyun caves into Minhyuk's urges and lets himself get whisked away by The Minhyuk Tornado as they run into the dancefloor. All Hyungwon and Kihyun do is look at each other and Kihyun swears he sees a mental tear drop run down his face. Hyungwon didn't say anything about Minhyuk having a drink which means the whole party of four is still all sober.  _ Good. Let's keep it that way.  _ Kihyun feels like he's the only person to get away with two drinks but, one is good for tonight. 

He gets from his seat to find Changkyun and Minhyuk with Hyungwon tagging along behind him. They don't talk about anything else, moving through the crowd of people and avoiding limbs that dance their way into Kihyun's personal bubble. The whole dancefloor feels like a land mine. For a first experience of and 80s nightclub, he doesn't know any of the music that is being played and the dancing is way different than what he grew up with it. Everything feels so… uncomfortable, and more so when he's by himself. 

He spots the two rascals dancing away and Kihyun can't do anything but stand. What can he even dance to? He'll look like a fish out of water if he even tries to copy what others around him are doing. Throwing their heads and swinging their arms like those inflatable tube people Wonho mentioned one time on a walk. He'll look stupid. 

Changkyun waves a hand to come closer and Kihyun does step closer, hands in his pockets. The last time Kihyun danced was probably when he was four which was a real long ass time ago. He watches as Changkyun cups his wrist, hands entwined with his.  _ Oh wow.  _ Changkyun doesn't say anything but smile and he sways their arms together while Kihyun stands like a big dummy. At least Changkyun has groove the way he moves his body and bops his head with a cheerful smile, despite his laced outfit. Kihyun feels like a tree that just grew in the floor by the way he stands there.

He smiles, bashful at the Changkyun laughs at him because he doesn't know what to do. He hides his face, hanging it low but still doesn't wipe his grin.

"Oh wait, Hyungwon!" Minhyuk yells as Hyungwon, Kihyun's now new tree friend, is also being grabbed to dance. "You have to dance this song with me!" Minhyuk pulls on Hyungwon's arm like tornado he is before they disappear once again in the crowd of dancing people. Off they go yet again until they come back whenever.  _ Why did they run off? _

"Well, guess it's just us again." Kihyun points the obvious. "Wanna have our own little dance? Just the two of us." His smiles makes Changkyun squint. They're at a much closer range to hear one another now.

"What about the people?" Changkyun asks, staring as Kihyun inches forward, their hands still connected. Now that Minhyuk and Hyungwon are gone, the air around Kihyun changes. Changkyun looks around, and even though nobody is watching them, someone will at some point. And Minhyuk. What would he think? "I'm a guy, and you're one too and people will—"

Changkyun stops his sentence once Kihyun is in a close enough range that makes him shut his trap. His brain reflects on the actions of two days ago when they were in his bed, and that same nervousness yet anticipating excitement comes flooding back and pools at Changkyun's stomach. The song around them changes. Changkyun knows this song: "Good Man in a Bad Time" by Ian Hunter. The lyrics feel way too fitting,  _ inside, closed quarters,  _ it gives him goosebumps. It reminds him how close they are, touching. 

Kihyun tilts his head, the slightest smile on his lips. He's not mocking Changkyun, not laughing at him either, but he's waiting. The way Changkyun's hands twitch as if he has the urge to touch something. 

"People will what?" Kihyun begins, leaning an inch closer so Changkyun can hear him speak. "Look around, nobody's paying attention. They haven't been for a while." 

He's right, maybe, but Changkyun is on a thin line with his thoughts and emotions. There's the recurring hesitation yet desire deep within him, unsure of what he wants at this moment. Though, he also knows what he wants.  _ This madness starts burning; the victim of a strange desire.  _ Changkyun grabs Kihyun's crow-black denim jacket, his body moving on his own. It's not Kihyun's doing, seeing how his eyebrows shoot up; it's all Changkyun's. 

The music flows through Changkyun, acting like his pendulum as his eyes are trained on Kihyun. As one hand is gently gripped at the hem of Kihyun's jacket, Changkyun's other hand comes to grab his black tee. He steps a little, leaning closer than he planned to but he doesn't stop. Staring at Kihyun's lips, Changkyun licks his own and his body just sort of  _ moves. He's so close.  _ Inching a little more has Kihyun lift a hand in the small space between them.  _ Damn it… _

"No kiss policy." Kihyun utters. He releases a chuckle, surprised at how daring Changkyun was. "Remember? They are pretty cute lips though."

_ That's not fair _ . "All the more reason to kiss them."

"Good to know." 

"If I lick your lips that doesn't count as a kiss." This stupid policy of his is completely warped. If Changkyun doesn't at least get  _ one kiss, just one,  _ he will break Kihyun in two. He can't but his vivid brain can. 

"It's still on my lips. I say you're trying to cheat the system."

"I'll put something between us; a tissue or I'll tear a piece of my lace shirt. Our lips technically won't touch." Changkyun is desperate. He can't stand this tugging and pulling anymore and the looks and him getting all hot and embarrassed; he's tired. If Kihyun wasn't so fast, Changkyun would have dragged him somewhere to do not so innocent things to keep it brief and pg. 

"You're desperate aren't you?" Kihyun places his hands on Changkyun's shoulders to put a slight distance between them. He turns him around, eyes away from each other. Changkyun watches the people around them dance, absorbed in their own reality. "You're cute and you're very, very tempting like I said before, in more ways than one, but," His hands slide down Changkyun's arms in a gentle manner. They travel lower, past the elbows, to the wrist and make a final destination at the hands. 

There's movement still around them, somehow in either a drunk and drugged haze, nobody seems to notice them. All their focus is on having fun and not a care in the world. Even though he and Kihyun are standing somewhere on the huge dance floor, nobody seems to care. It's as if nobody can see them; not sure where Hyungwon and Minhyuk are (hopefully not watching).

"But?" Changkyun questions. He can't lie to himself anymore either at his reactions to Kihyun. There's a desire there and Kihyun can tell all too well; he knows. Not only that but, Kihyun just called him cute, multiple times even. How can he avoid and pretend he didn't hear that?

"I'm also having a hard time holding back." Kihyun whispers. Today, his hands feel so warm against him. Kihyun's hands clamp over Changkyun's, crossing his arms across his chest, enveloping him in an embrace. The warmth seems to increase from there. Kihyun's face fits perfectly in the space between Changkyun's neck and shoulder, probably his favorite spot even. "You do know how much you're tempting me, Changkyun? Always wanting to take an extra step ahead and always wanting to kiss me. I'm always tempted."

Changkyun's cheeks flare, feeling fingertips touch the bare skin that his shirt barely exposes. He bites his lip, refrains from letting out a desperate whimper. It may not be heard through the loud music, but Kihyun's hearing is excellent at this close of a distance, and if he can't let out a noise, Changkyun's body gives him away. The shivers after every small feathery touch and every deep breath that rises the chest. Movement around them doesn't stop anytime soon and nor does the music. Despite all that, Changkyun can still hear his heart beating louder than the music, the tempo increasing with every touch on his body. 

The embrace is gone but Kihyun doesn't step away and his hands still play and dance under Changkyun's top ever so sneakily. They're sitting at his stomach, at the hem of his pants as their bodies are pressed against one another. It's this side of Kihyun again that has Changkyun like putty in the other's hands. This alluring, seductive side that came out of Kihyun. It was like his human self and vampire self were two different people.

"Kihyun, you're so unfair…" Changkyun whimpers. How can Kihyun have two sides of him? There's a side of him that's approaching and he smiles so innocently where his cheeks rise; then there's his dangerous side that takes over and his actions become domineering. It makes Changkyun dizzy. "You're so, so unfair." 

"You're unfair too."

"I'm unfair because you're unfair." Changkyun breathes out, feeling Kihyun wrap a hand around his neck, not too hard, only to angle his head upwards. It stretches his neck up and giving Kihyun access for whatever he plans to do.

"Maybe you should do something more about that." Kihyun smiles, feeling how hot Changkyun has turned all over a little bit of touching. 

"I didn't give consent for you to bite me."

"Again? Who said I was going to bite you? Especially in public? I know better than that, Changkyun." Kihyun chuckles in Changkyun's neck, resting his chin on the shoulder. He sways their bodies together despite the music in the background is a faster tempo. "Just because I'm a you know what doesn't mean that's what I think about all day everyday."

"I don't know about you sometimes. Look at the position we're in right now." Changkyun breathy tone could be heard. Kihyun's thankful they're this close becaus she can hear him more this way despite their loud surroundings. 

"Oh really? You haven't pushed me away and you should know by now that you have to give me consent before I bite you." The movement of swaying together is actually relaxing. Kihyun makes a mental note for later. 

"Kihyun, I swear to God, I will bite you instead if you keep teasing me like this." Changkyun playfully slaps Kihyun's thigh. It puts his heart ease when he hears Kihyun giggle in his ear, both knowing that won't work.

That smell… 

Kihyun stops, his hands pausing at Changkyun's waist. His senses are warned by something around them, but with so many people around, it messes up Kihyun. He smells it again. That scent that was faintly,  _ very faintly  _ on Minhyuk lingers close around them, but Minhyuk is nowhere in sight when Kihyun turns his head. That scent was from someone else and they're in the same place as them. It can't be from Minhyuk cause this smell is much more stronger. It's a scent he can't ignore. It's a vampire, Kihyun's sure of it. He can smell his own kind anywhere, and they're near. 

Warmth disappears when Kihyun pulls away, causing Changkyun to come back from his pleasure inducing world and into reality. The fingers linger against his skin, tips not sure if letting go is the better choice. There's a look in Kihyun's eyes that's full of alertness, eyes searching the dancefloor as if he realized his wallet wasn't on him anymore. He pulls on Kihyun's black denim jacket, catching attention as round eyes stare back.  _ There's something wrong; Changkyun can feel it too. Otherwise, why would he look like that? _

Searching over his shoulder once more for good measure, Kihyun grips Changkyun's wrist, pulling him through the crowds of unsuspecting people. He doesn't worry too much about them, knowing a vampire wouldn't strike when there's a large quantity of people around. That would create unnecessary panic and wouldn't be the best choice for a quick bite so the dancefloor is a safe place. But there are hidden spots within the club, there are ways to be undetected. The most important thing is that they need to get out, fast. Many are still dancing under the colorful lights and piercing music, but they don't spare the slightest glance or attention to them. They really are in their own world, it's kind of creepy.

"What's wrong?" Changkyun calls out, yet doesn't receive a reply from Kihyun. The club is loud but Kihyun should be able to still hear from this distance; his hearing is beyond a normal human. Changkyun repeats himself, still no answer. He accepts getting dragged through the moving crowd, looking back at whatever could be there. Nothing strikes out and people continue to dance and drink. There's not a person that seems odd but unlike Kihyun, Changkyun can't smell what he smells. 

But what about Minhyuk and Hyungwon? They're still somewhere inside the building. What if there's something out there that puts them in danger? Changkyun looks at the back side of Kihyun who is trying to make it up the stairs. He needs to warn his friends about his leave because if they leave now, Minhyuk and Hyungwon will possibly be searching for them. 

So, Changkyun snatches his hand back at the bottom of the stairs, causing Kihyun to turn back in surprise. There's something about the way they look at each other; Kihyun staring as if he's trying to piece together what he did wrong and Changkyun's face twisted in worry, fidgeting as his hand caresses his wrist. Seeing the gesture, Kihyun's eyes turn into worry, wondering if his grip turned out to be too tight and that makes Changkyun react. Right, Kihyun can read his body language, Changkyun would be sending the wrong signal that he's hurt when he isn't. 

"Minhyuk and Hyungwon—" He points out to the crowd and Kihyun follows the finger. There's a scream that follows within the crowd, making both of them jump. The music scratches to a stop as a woman runs through the dancefloor pleading with her lungs for help, high heels clacking as she continues to scream.

"There's a dead person in the bathroom stall! He's dead! There's so much blood! Somebody help!" 

Kihyun grabs a hold of Changkyun again, grabbing him close by the waist as he slowly ushers him further away from the scene. Everyone doesn't move as they murmur amongst themselves, unsure what to think. Another woman comes from the same corner the first woman came, screaming with blood on her hands. It's slightly smeared on her legs and face as tears run down. That causes everyone to break into a run and chaos ensues. 

"Come on!" Kihyun pulls, and Changkyun keeps looking back to try and spot Minhyuk and Hyungwon. He needs to warn them. Shouldn't they leave together? There's no way to contact them either, all they can do right now is run away and that worries Changkyun to the core. 

Amongst the pushing of people wanting to escape, Changkyun grips Kihyun's jacket tighter as his feet try to keep up. Everyone is screaming and shoving, every man for themself, acting like animals and not even bothering to think of those around them. People get trampled, pushed to the floor as gender doesn't matter anymore seeing how a man can use his power to push a woman out of his way. It's terrifying. Nobody knows who or what they're running from. Autopilot kicks into gear to run away from the danger and there's nothing else left on the mind. 

Once they make it to the top, they're shoved down the flight of stairs they first went through that's headed towards the exit. It's a tight squeeze and Changkyun doesn't get enough oxygen into his lungs. He begins to feel a little claustrophobic, sweat seeping on his hands and forehead, his heart picking up as he feels he might faint. His mouth becomes dry, opening to call out to Kihyun and warn him until he gets pulled away.  _ Shit.  _

"Kihyun! Wait! Kihyun!" Changkyun claws away at the people, turning around as he's thrown and carried like a rag doll, he doesn't feel his feet touch the steps anymore. Somehow he got in front of Kihyun and there in the distance, Changkyun can spot him briefly waving to him from one of the higher steps. 

There's a fast figure that Changkyun catches before he watches Kihyun hit the wall hard, holding his chest and clutching the wall in agony. It was so fast Changkyun doesn't understand what happened, but the pain is evident on his face. Sweat beads on Kihyun's forehead before his eyes glow red and Kihyun covers his eyes. Changkyun calls out to him again, until someone grabs him from behind, pulling him close to whoever has a hold of him. People still shove each other past as they head for the exit, not caring about who is still moving and who is stopped. Changkyun looks up, looking eyes with a man whose eyes briefly glow red and a smirk plays on his lip. His hair is styled ash-gray, face slim and eyes big. Whoever this man is, it's not good news. 

His voice is deep, rumbling in his ears. "Your scent. You reek of vamps but you're a mere human. How interesting." 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know how you like this chapter by commenting and/or tweeting what you liked using the tag #AfterDarkAO3 on Twitter!!!
> 
> @yooki221 so don't be shy to hit me up in tweets!!!


	7. Lurking Unknowns Part 2

The man's deep voice startles Changkyun, along with his tight grip. His fingers are strong around Changkyun's wrist, not planning to let him go. Changkyun lifts up his hands to push the man away with no luck. Vampires are more powerful than him, any effort goes to energy being wasted. There's a grip that snakes around his waist and locks him in closer to the man, unable to free himself from whatever is going to happen.

Changkyun doesn't want to go with this man. All because he's a vampire and Changkyun 'reeks of vampires'? What does this dude seriously want? He's not going to get taken away without a fight, especially when this is his life that could be talking away.

"Kihyun! Help!" Changkyun yells, wiggling and twisting his body but it doesn't work, not even in the slightest. He tries to squeeze below and squat down to get out of the grip, but he can't even do that. Nobody pays him any attention as they're too busy running down the stairs and away from the threat, which actually…  _ could this man be him?  _ Was this vampire the one who killed the innocent person in the bathroom? Who else could it be? Obviously not Kihyun. 

"You're going to try and ask your weak friend? How pathetic. A vampire and a human shouldn't be so close yet, here you two are." The man speaks up yet again, and Changkyun shouts out for Hyungwon, even Minhyuk, anyone. Why doesn't anyone listen? "Humans are so vulnerable and such easy targets. So naive you are; you really think he's friends with you?"

He reaches for Changkyun's neck, fingers grossingly grazes the side of it. They're dry, but they feel slimy against his skin like a creature. Changkyun growls, and snaps his head to try and bite the arm, but he's too slow. The vampire retracts his hand with an entertaining deep chuckle.

"So you bite? You're so interesting each second." His smirk widens maliciously. It's dangerous. 

A hand swiftly comes between them from behind and Changkyun feels a chin brush against the top of his ear. He can tell it's not Kihyun. Kihyun's the same height as him. The hand pushes the vampire's chest and another hand grabs Changkyun's collar, attempting to pull him back away from the threat. The grip doesn't let go until, (what Changkyun is calling his savior), the hand that tries to push the vampire goes to the vampire's neck and squeezes.

Changkyun is let go and stumbles down the steps. The vampire is pinned to the wall but swipes at the hand that's at his throat, blood spilling from the big scratch. Changkyun is surprised that nobody saw that in their panic, it makes him question the morals in people's humanity. There's another pair of hands that drag him away, and a scent of lavender is strong. It's Kihyun. Changkyun wants to know the person it was who pulled him away from danger, but all he could see is the black hair and wounded hand until they vanished. Changkyun is pushed down more steps, feet tripping over one and knocking into the person in front of him. The flight of stairs feels so long, it's almost never ending paired with panicked people left and right. 

They slide down the stairs, running from the vampire threat that could be after them. Changkyun feels his heart pounds against his chest, he might throw up all over the people in front of him. 

Once Changkyun feels his feet touch the floor and his body makes contact with the cool nightly air outside the nightclub is when he feels as if he can breathe. People spread out, not waiting to stand too close in case whoever the suspect is comes outside. Security watches the commotion, confused as to why people have been running out but it soon catches on. Still, there was no sign of Minhyuk and Hyungwon anywhere, and Changkyun wanted to stay except, the man seemed out to get him. The mention that he reeked of vampires and how Changkyun was indeed a human. They need to leave.

Kihyun falls to his knees, holding his chest as he howls in pain. Changkyun averts his attention to him and kneels beside him, rubbing his back. 

"What's wrong? Do you feel sick? Can you walk?"

They're not too far from the nightclub, but they can't be there anymore, not with danger still lurking. Changkyun looks back quickly and there's luckily no sign of the vampire that he notices and he moves to try and get Kihyun to stand. All he does is groan and scream in pain, it makes Changkyun more confused as to what happened to him. All he saw was him get slammed into a wall, but Kihyun won't say anything. He's worried, very worried. 

Kihyun waves up a hand to dismiss Changkyun's concerns. He knows he shouldn't bend down and force himself to flit home, but if they want to get to safety then he might as well do it in order to save them both. His chest burns and muscles feel tight from the blow but he'll survive. It's a tight feeling, but pain only comes when he takes a deep breath and twists his body. He turns his back towards Changkyun waiting for him. 

"Get on. Quickly." Kihyun huffs through strained breaths. His voice is heavy and clearly in deep pain as his face stays twisted and sweaty. If they're going to make it back then he has to use whatever remaining energy he has left. "We need to leave Changkyun, come on. We can't stall."

Changkyun can hear the desperation in Kihyun's voice.  _ Sorry Minhyuk and Hyungwon.  _ He hopes they're okay, sending his silent prayers and condolences to the building. All he can do is hope everyone is okay, and as gently as he can, slides on Kihyun's back. Kihyun groans from the pressure as it hits his chest, and lifts one hand to hold Changkyun's leg. This is all the energy he has right now, he's surprised he can even lift Changkyun in his state. 

"Close your eyes. Wrap your arms around my neck and your legs go around my waist. Hang out tight okay. This is going to be really fast." Kihyun warns. Changkyun nods and tightens his grip. He follows Kihyun's orders and envelopes in his unusual warmth in the night; it feels like the only thing that makes him feel comforted. 

He closes his eyes.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It feels like déjà vu when Changkyun opens his eyes and finds himself once again in a bed. He feels extremely warm, sweaty in all the places that make him feel uncomfortable. His body is wrapped in what he believes to be a robe. It's an educated guess as he feels minimal pressure against his stomach from what he presumes to be a belt, and his fingers poke out of the wide sleeves. The fabric is of something he also doesn't remember owning, it feels fluffy and delicate to the touch that leaves Changkyun feeling snug, but sweaty as hell. He's a little  _ too  _ warm. His body doesn't move except for his hands that begin to feel around the dark room. Aside from the new piece of clothing on him, the air around him feels familiar and small, as if the walls were closer to him or that the room wasn't as open. The curtains were closed as the moonlight doesn't shine in but he knows it's not sunny outside. 

Looking forward isn't a window but instead what he makes out to be the familiar bulletin board that hangs above the desk. It's Changkyun's room, not Kihyun's. That makes sense of why the room felt somewhat familiar rather than foreign. Also, where is Kihyun for that matter? Changkyun turns his head and can't make out anything of a figure or silhouette. Not only that but, from all the movement he's creating, Kihyun would have called out to him and ask if he was alright. Weren't they together long ago? Did Kihyun return home? Changkyun can't tell with the curtains closed. 

He recalls them going to a nightclub that Minhyuk was so eager to go to yesterday; or was this still the same day? They went out late at night, it couldn't be the same day. Something bad happened and was about to happen. A scream that had the whole nightclub go into panic and being washed away by the bodies of people who were pushed and trampled like the world was ending. He got a glimpse as to how scary the human race can be in a moment of weakness and chaos. 

Changkyun doesn't recall that much happening besides the figure that tried taking him away, and the thing that saved him, and he sort of closed his eyes after that. Once he was outside, everything felt like a huge blur. He knows he didn't faint, but he felt oddly comfortable around Kihyun when they left despite their situation. 

_ That's right, where is... _

"Kihyun?"

Changkyun calls out, wondering. Without hearing a door creak open or close, the bed dips as the springs creak. He can barely see his face, eyes still adjusting to the dark by the figure, but the scent of lavender creates nostalgia. From sandalwood to lavender; it's not important but Changkyun wonders what the change in scent was meant for. 

"Yes? Are you alright?" Kihyun's words are laced with such a gentle manner. It's so comforting to hear his voice so melodic in the quiet room. Changkyun happily smiles like a little kid.

"Where were you? Surely not in this room."

"Downstairs, cooking." Changkyun blinks once and he frowns at the info. He doesn't recall Kihyun ever knowing how to cook, especially with the way he eats. Even when Changkyun wanted beef stroganoff, it was never made in the end. "All the stores are closed and there's only one donut left which I saved for you. You need more donuts despite me eating five, but most importantly you need to get more donuts."

_ Aw, cute.  _ Changkyun knows the smoke alarms didn't go off because that would have for sure woken him up. It would have caused the whole block to wake up considering how nosy they can get, yet the neighbors also try to stay out of people's business. "What were you making this late? I haven't gotten to the grocery store in days." 

"Those sandwiches with cheese you made last time. I can't make it the way you did. I sort of need some help."

"The grilled cheese ones?" Kihyun nods his head. 

"I got the cheese and the bread part down but it keeps turning black and I end up burning it. I'm doing something wrong, but I can't tell what it is."

Changkyun chuckles at how cute and confused Kihyun sounds. He would make them but he still feels groggy. Even though the sound of grilled cheese sandwiches makes him hungry, he doesn't have the energy. All the energy had been dropped off at the nightclub and never picked back up. Changkyun wonders if he can get his productivity and energy to be delivered to him because it's not going to come back soon. "Does it have to be now?" 

"I can wait. I already ate some food but your house is so fucking cold tonight, especially this room and the living room." Kihyun subtly moves to try and get under the covers, bored from not being able to talk to anyone. He winces as he let's in a bigger breath than anticipated; a hiss passes through his lips that doesn't go unnoticed by Changkyun.  _ Wait. There was one thing he forgot: Kihyun's chest.  _ Back at the nightclub, Kihyun kept holding his chest and was screaming near their leave. Was he still hurt and did it get worse?

Changkyun flies up to a sitting position, throwing the covers almost completely off the bed and out of Kihyun's unsuspecting grasp. With a little reluctance, Changkyun searches in the dark to touch Kihyun's chest with such a careful matter, and his answer comes immediately when Kihyun bites his lip until he can't help it. He whimpers and raises a hand to hold his chest. 

"You're hurt and you tried to hide it? What happened?!" Changkyun moves off the bed and gingerly takes Kihyun by the shoulder. What the hell has Kihyun been thinking this time? Changkyun moves him to sit on the bed as Kihyun's hand doesn't leave his chest.

Has Kihyun been walking around guarding the house with whatever the hell kind of injury he has all these hours? He should have been resting alongside with him.

"It's nothing big. You don't have to worry a whole lot." Kihyun sits and grins lopsided. He takes shallow breaths, trying to not bend as much. It's difficult as he realizes just how much he twists his body to do daily things and now that's being restricted. "I'm fine, honestly." 

He laughs like everything is okay, but the laugh is what does it for him. That's what causes him to double over and his hand clutches his shirt tightly as pain spreads like a wildfire in his chest. There's that tightness inside again and it feels like it's squeezing his heart that it shoots up to his head. He feels dizzy again, lightheaded from the pain. His mouth feels wet with saliva that he thinks he is drooling or is on the verge of throwing up.

"Kihyun. You're holding your chest and you've shown pain on your face twice in this room. Clearly, you're still hurting to some degree. Is it something with your heart?"

He doesn't say anything. Kihyun chews at the inside of his mouth, looking away. Guess there's no choice in hiding. "I fractured a rib. There was that vampire at the nightclub; two of them. One ended up attacking me by pushing me from behind and the force of it was way too strong it ended up doing me some damage. The thing about being a vampire is that even if you're strong, your body can still be fragile like a twig."

"Jesus Kihyun. I know I'm a weak human compared to a vampire but you know you can't hide your pain forever in order to protect me." Changkyun can see Kihyun hang his head low from the movement. Kihyun sighs, too big and clutches his chest in pain. A moan of agony escapes him, chest tightening as it's difficult to breathe. The pain never lasts too long, knowing that if it did there would have been something worse inside other than a fracture, but it's difficult to not move too much; he has to keep moving. "Shit, can you lay down or is that too much movement?"

"I can lie down." Kihyun let's himself slowly fall back. He tries his hardest to minimize moving too much but it's harder than it looks. He feels that if he isn't too careful, the fracture could turn into a broken rib. It'll probably take a month at the longest for the injury to heal and Kihyun knows this leaves him for an open spot as a target. Not only him, but mostly Changkyun. 

God, Kihyun is so furious right now and at everything, even himself. He's got himself in this situation, stuck and not knowing what to do. Changkyun doesn't even know what is fully going on because Kihyun doesn't want to scare him or feed incorrect information. It's not like he hasn't been scared before but, he doesn't want to worry about his friends safety. They may have gotten out of the nightclub but they're now a part of the lion's den.  _ What the hell did Kihyun get himself and everyone into? He needs to talk to Wonho immediately.  _

"Honestly, how did you cook and get things in the kitchen in your state?" Changkyun asks, tucking Kihyun under the covers.

"I used a stick I found outside to grab something that was too high for me to get. Ah!" Kihyun clutches his chest once again, whining. "Shit this hurts more than I expected. This is one reason why I hate going outside and to crowded places." Kihyun grips the sheets. "It's such a distraction that I didn't notice the vampire behind me after I saw you got separated from me when I promised to look over you." Not to mention Kihyun hasn't had any blood in a week; it's slowly starting to weaken him but if he says that, it'll sound like he's making it Changkyun's fault. 

"Sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen when Minhyuk invited you." Changkyun moves to fluff up the pillows for Kihyun. He doesn't know what else to do, but his hands move to play with the belt of his robe once he finishes. 

What else can he even do at this point other than feel like shit for what happened. Changkyun knew staying home was a better idea, but he couldn't explain to those close to him without sounding crazy again. They didn't believe him in the beginning so, why would they change their mind. Plus, vampires? Changkyun already sounds crazy despite knowing the truth. 

"Why are you apologizing? There's nothing for you to apologize for. It's nobody's fault other than the vampire. They're the ones who caused the ruckus in the first place; he ended up killing somebody." Kihyun frowns, watching as Changkyun looks over him with a face of worry and pure despair. There's a sad hum in the dark and Kihyun laughs, still not yet realizing that it hurts and he should stop, but it's not an easy task. "Stop. I can tell you're looking at me like I'm going to pass away; this isn't my death bed. Besides, I couldn't have let you go out there by yourself especially when that one vampire had almost kidnapped you." 

Kihyun lifts a hand to wipe Changkyun's cheek to make sure he's not crying. He isn't, but the reassurance is there to let Changkyun know it's alright.

Everything needs some time to process. Changkyun still is trying to process the fact that his sexuality isn't what he thought it was. He needs a lot more time to figure out his desires and temptation a little more. These past few days had Changkyun going on an emotional rollercoaster with his feelings that he's new to everything he does besides teach Kihyun what humans do. This change is scary, but he's hiding it knowing that this change is better for him. 

That's only one part of the mysteries within Changkyun's mind. Inside are many more that Changkyun to come into terms with, he still has so many questions. One in particular, he asks straight away. 

"You keep avoiding the second vampire. You've mentioned them throughout the week but haven't said anything else about what they're planning. Why is that?" Changkyun asks, hoping Kihyun doesn't entirely avoid the question. He's tired of asking Kihyun only to get side-tracked by his face and hands and only knowing it's a 'suspicious person'. "Did you see them? You had to have, right?"

"The other vampire is alright. He pulled you away from the bad one, and he's actually pretty funny." Kihyun laughs at the remembrance until he holds his chest again as the fracture feels tender and tight when he makes such movements.  _ He's avoiding it again. Changkyun can tell. _

"Thanks for saving me,  _ again. _ " Is all that Changkyun managed to say. He's not going to get himself in trouble but, he's going to find out who it is. "Do you think Minhyuk and Hyungwon are okay? I'm really worried about them."

"They're fine. Minhyuk called the landline asking how you were and Hyungwon was there and knew I was hurt. He's sharp, so I don't think you can hide anything from him." Changkyun watches Kihyun's lips move in the dark.  _ Hm, does that mean…  _ "Hopefully in the future communication will get easier so we don't have to worry about others as much being left in suspense. They called really late, I almost left the house searching. That wasn't true, but that's how I felt." 

"Is it Hyungwon?"

"What?" Kihyun turns his head only a little. He's stuck at a crossroads but this time he can't beat around the bush anymore. This is Changkyun we're talking about; he starts catching on pretty quickly eventually. "Do you mean–"

"Is Hyungwon a vampire, Kihyun. What else would I ask about?" Changkyun's tone is demanding, someone who wants the answers. It's what Changkyun deserves to know now that Kihyun has connected most of it together. 

"Yeah, he is. I didn't want to tell you because I know Minhyuk is important to you and you mentioned only recently that they've been hanging out." Kihyun confesses, seeing as this is his confession booth but it honestly sounds like his deathbed secrets. Thank goodness he's not dying. "I didn't want you and me especially, jumping the gun until I got a read off of this Hyungwon dude, but Minhyuk reeks of vampires. His scent is full of Hyungwon and now including me since he gave me those big hugs." What he's saying is true though; he didn't want to give Changkyun false information until he was a hundred percent sure but, he's still only at eighty-five percent. Hyungwon might be cool, but is he planning anything?

"So the reason why you had your suspicions up was because…?" Changkyun trails off, hoping Kihyun doesn't hold back with anymore information.

"My suspicions were up because somehow Hyungwon's scent rubbed off on you. It could have been a rub on the back, and hug or some kind of physical contact." Kihyun clarifies, eyes blinking rapidly. "But, I don't watch you 24/7, so the scent was foreign to me but I didn't know  _ whose  _ scent it belonged to. If I told you, I wouldn't want you looking over your shoulders constantly. We can tell the difference in human and vampire scents but we can't tell if they're bad or not. We just assume that all vampires should be avoided, so we rarely interact."

"Is Minhyuk safe? If something happens, is there a way you could save Minhyuk in case Hyungwon does something?"

"I," Kihyun stumbles, his head trying to think this all through. How can he even do that and protect Changkyun at the same time? He would love to help out but, that's not an easy job. Changkyun almost got snatched for who knows why. Kihyun almost fucked up. "Can't. I can't do that. There's only so much I can do I feel like it's also too little. Especially now, I feel so weak and vulnerable." 

Kihyun slowly lifts a forearm to his face and Changkyun nods his head. He knew that but he wanted to hear it to be sure. Kihyun can't transform into anything and he can't make clones of himself to help people. He may have superhuman abilities but even those can be limited for him.

"I understand. Thank you for being honest with me. I'm just worried." 

"Are you mad at me? Do you hate me?" Kihyun thinks his ribs aren't the only thing that's fractured right now. He's about to make himself look like an idiot right now. "I'm sorry I can't do much more but I wanted to, and yet you still almost got yourself really, really hurt." Kihyun's voice gets a little higher and he starts spilling out more and more of what he feels. He's so lost right now, he's mentally and physically stuck. "And then Minhyuk and Hyungwon. I don't know what to focus on anymore because everything I do or say ends up making you feel worried rather than safe."

Changkyun looks within the darkness to where Kihyun's face is as the room engulfs in sobs and sniffles. It makes him react quickly moving as he scoots closer to the bed and gently touches the dark in search for his features. He's crying and Changkyun didn't realize just how much Kihyun was hiding within himself to keep both of them safe. Changkyun knew something was weighing on Kihyun but, not to a point of him crying.

"No, what? I'm not mad, really." Changkyun misses Kihyun's cheek, accidentally touching the corner of his eye. It's so dark Changkyun's eyesight isn't as good as Kihyun's that he still can't make a face out. He panics as Kihyun groans from a different pain and decides to cover his face and Changkyun spills apologies from his lips.

"I knew you were angry with me." Kihyun mutters, and hiccups, only to bring him more pain in his chest from the action. He yells, loud enough for Changkyun to worry more about Kihyun's wellbeing rather than Hyungwon being a vampire. He's clearly not well right now. "Fuck, I can't even cry without my ribs hurting and now you're mad at me."

"Kihyun, I'm not mad at you. I would have said I was disappointed. And my question wasn't intended to make it seem like I didn't appreciate anything you did for me if that's what it sounded like." Changkyun has seen Kihyun almost on the verge of tears after the bite, but he's never seen Kihyun cry before. He never knew just how sensitive Kihyun was. "In fact I'm really glad for everything you can do because I know you care."

"I'm sorry," Kihyun doesn't really listen. He wipes his face to no avail and the crying makes breathing more difficult than it already is, but if he continues this way he'll have more than a fractured rib. His feelings don't want to stop coming out because he's scared. Humans are unpredictable creatures; they can also be cruel when Kihyun least expects it. He doesn't know how to act around humans, it's the reason why he's been with Wonho all these years. "I'm sorry I can't do more for you. If I was human we wouldn't be having these problems, I'm sorry."

"Kihyun…" 

If Kihyun was still human he'd be dead and over a hundred, even past a hundred and thirty most likely; Kihyun was born in a different time period; for them to meet, Kihyun couldn't be human; and even if Kihyun was born human and within Changkyun's period he'd have to be born somewhere between 1962 to 1969. Not only that but, vampires would have still roamed the earth if Kihyun wasn't or is a vampire. Changkyun feels like vampires are unavoidable.

How much more is Kihyun holding on himself other than what he shared? Changkyun knows Kihyun hates being a vampire, and possibly developed quirky and unusual habits to try make himself feel included in the human population but Changkyun doesn't really know anything else besides that. He slowly and carefully makes sure whatever he is touching is indeed a hand and he clutches it to death. 

Changkyun would offer Kihyun the last donut he mentioned but that might not make him happy right now. It leaves Changkyun sitting there as he listens to a sobbing string of apologizes and he's never felt so helpless with not knowing what to do. 

"God, my chest hurts. My head hurts more than it did because of me crying; my chest feels uncomfortably tight and my eyes are swollen, red and wet. I feel like utter shit." 

Kihyun's free hand holds his chest as the only time he lifts it up is to wipe his sniffling nose. Changkyun remembers Wonho would do something whenever Kihyun was sad, but what was it? What was the other thing that Kihyun liked besides donuts? Throwing the whole turtleneck thing, because changing Kihyun in his favorite shirts could bring more pain to him, makes Changkyun think.  _ Come on Changkyun, think.  _

He recalls the mention of it, feeling at a loss with something that seemed so easy. In the meantime, Changkyun uses both his hands to caress the back of Kihyun's hand, massaging the knuckles and pulling slightly on the fingers. His sobs die down a little, words not leaving his lips and replaced with almost quiet dry sniffles. Changkyun moves to Kihyun's fingertips and kneads the finger pads like it were a cat's paw.

_ Oh! He got it! _ Changkyun leans forward as one of his hands pat Kihyun's head. Whenever Kihyun felt down, Wonho would pat and stroke his head. That's what it was! 

A puzzled whimper leaves Kihyun's lips, as he looks towards Changkyun in confusion. It awoken him back to reality by the soft and considerate touch on his head. He feels a thumb wipe away his slightly dried tears and repeat the action with a little more force from how much it stuck to his face.

"I'm not mad Kihyun. I'm not disappointed. And I don't see you as someone who would neglect someone." This time Kihyun listens to what Changkyun has to say. "Just because you can't protect the both of us, doesn't mean you only care for one of us. It's okay Kihyun. I'm not mad; I'm just guilty for how things have become." 

"Why are you feeling guilty?" 

"I wish I could do more. To fight back would be great, but when that one vampire got me I felt weak. Despite you getting hurt, you still ran over to me and pulled me away. So, that's pretty strong and brave in my book." Changkyun smiles, his hands pinching Kihyun's cheek lightly. 

"Hyungwon was the one who pulled you away. I was just the one grabbing you away while he pinned the other vampire down by the neck." Kihyun smiles sadly, and he blinks slowly. "If I did all the work, I really could have done myself some damage. Vampires can die from just a nasty fall; we're not immortal like the movies portray, we just age slower than the rest."

"I don't care! That's not going to change what I said about how strong you are." Changkyun furrows his eyebrows, a hand squeezing Kihyun's shaky one with a little force, hoping Kihyun could feel how truthful he's being. "I mean you even sensed I was in danger and liquefied a vampire. When I think back on that moment, I kind of find it funny and cool at the same time."

Kihyun only bites the inside of his mouth. It starts bleeding a little from how many times he's done it, not bothering to look Changkyun in the eyes. He feels like he should just sleep and let time go by so that when he wakes up, he'll forget about some of the conversation. That's impossible and seems like he's running away but Kihyun has never had a conversation like this with a human; especially one that results in him crying. 

_ Maybe… _

"Do you still want those grilled cheese sandwiches, hm?" Changkyun opens one of Kihyun's palms to place his chin on. Kihyun's head turns slightly to observe the tiny folded Changkyun kneeling on the bedside like a dog. "Hm? Some grilled cheese with extra cheese?" His voice grows a little higher, eyes almost bigger as Changkyun trails on. One good thing about being a vampire is his sight to see the cute pout on Changkyun's face as he talks. Kihyun can't help himself but smile at the action amusingly. "Hm? And some butter being spread right on the top for you? Hm?" 

Kihyun laughs, throwing his head back into the pillows in pain seconds after. Changkyun gasps, sitting up straight. "It's okay, I'm fine, I'm fine." 

"I'm glad I made you laugh but I didn't mean to hurt you in the process. I'm still going to worry about you though for the next few days." 

"Can't believe a human is taking care of me. And here I am confined to a bed with a fractured rib and crying with nothing to do." Kihyun reaches out to Changkyun, wanting him to join him on the bed. He can't use much of his strength when he  _ really  _ wants to leave the room; he's bored. He can't even pull Changkyun up on the bed in fear he might double over in pain. "Is there a way to have some bad vampire movies on right now. I want to go downstairs and take my mind off of things. Pretty please." 

For some reason, Changkyun feels his ears turn hot. It was just really cute of Kihyun to ask.  _ Yeah, he's going through it right now.  _ Changkyun grabs his ear, unsure what to do knowing Kihyun should rest, but he also doesn't want to bore him with meaningless talking now that the vampire talk seems to be over; for now. Though, he knows what is best for Kihyun, so he shakes his head.

"No can do. You're stuck with me for tonight under my care. Do I have to remind you that I'm worried for you no matter how many times you say you're fine." Changkyun moves to his book shelf, shifting through the mountains of magazines. He could show Kihyun the dirty ones to see what his reaction is for a surprise factor, but he'll save that idea for when Kihyun isn't hurt. Before Changkyun opens the curtains to let some moonlight into the room to see what exactly he's looking at, Changkyun spys the polaroid camera Shownu gave him. _He forgot about it. _He can see it's black silhouette next to his book bag. 

Changkyun slides over to it, wondering if he can take a photo of Kihyun. Maybe they can get creative with it to see if they can capture a vampire if they mess around with it a little.  _ If there's a will, there's a way right _ ? He stands, checking how much film he has left and moves back over to the bed. Kihyun's eyes gravitate back to Changkyun looking at the device in his hands, blinking as he realizes what it is. 

"You know it won't work right. I can't be captured at all." Kihyun jumps to the conclusion, not bothering to go through the trouble. "I don't know if you forgot but the lights are off. You'll be photographing nothing twice: my invisible presence and your dark room that will appear black on film. Besides, what happened to your mannequin idea?"

Oh, Kihyun remembered his idea. "I'm aware of those things. And the mannequin idea is still up for a test trail to see how we like it. I haven't asked Minhyuk to draw you yet. I mean, I've already seen a lot of things with this camera…"

Kihyun looks at Changkyun's face in the dark, searching. "What kind of things?"

"Well, my friend gave this to me and he noticed some odd things that didn't show up. I didn't tell him anything other than agreeing I would take photos for him." Changkyun wearily smiles as his hands play with the camera. He didn't answer Kihyun's question, not wanting to appear frightened as the image pops back into his head of the woman smiling at nothing. Kihyun's line of sight follows, noticing the nervous hands stroke the sides of the polaroid. He doesn't push the question. 

"How about next time. We can use it when I'm not in pain." Kihyun gropes the air to find Changkyun's hand, rubbing a thumb against his skin. He doesn't want Changkyun to photograph things he shouldn't. Not only that but, he'd be putting himself and his friend in a lot more danger than he already is in. 

That's a thing that Kihyun notices about Changkyun. The fact that Changkyun knows the idea of what danger follows him and what is right versus wrong; but when his friends are involved, Changkyun doesn't see the danger. His well being is pushed aside to help his friends and make them feel happy when Changkyun should worry more about his own happiness. Though, Kihyun relates to some extent. 

"Do you need me to fetch you some water? Ice maybe for the swelling or pain?" Changkyun offers, enjoying the small touch of Kihyun's hand. This time it's not cold nor hot. He feels better knowing that Kihyun has calmed down. "I still feel bad. It's not my fault but something in me feels like it still is the case."

"Oh, come on. It's not your fault. " Kihyun pats the empty space next to him with his other hand. "Come up here and lay down with me. I'll— I'll be fine, okay? Want to listen to my heartbeat? Or whatever would ease your mind to let you know that I'm okay. "

"Would it ease your mind though? I've never seen you like that before, so, I want to know if you're going to be okay too." 

"I'm going to be fine. Well, I'll try not to move around so much and have Wonho bring over some things if that's all right." Kihyun weakly tugs on Changkyun's thumb. If he pulls too much, he'll be feeling the sharp pain through his body again. "Come on up here. I don't want you sitting on the floor all night."

Changkyun moves to the foot of the bed, his weight making the springs creak and crack. He crawls up to where Kihyun lays, slowly lifting up the covers to slide under them. His hands make sure to not get too close to Kihyun in case they go for the ribs. That wouldn't be pretty if he ended up being the cause of a fracture. 

Inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, does Changkyun scoot himself up against Kihyun's side. It would be nice to watch some television or have something to talk about, but there's not much they can do in the dark. Changkyun doesn't want to turn on the lights. He likes how his eyes are somewhat adjusted to the room even if he can barely make out the lines on his palm. 

"Sorry for crying on you. I'm embarrassed that happened." Kihyun breaths slowly. He lifts up an arm to wipe his eyes even though he stopped crying. "I don't cry in front of people other than Wonho, especially humans. My emotions are still being sorted out, but thank you."

"Crying isn't going to scare me away. Your emotions are valid. For whatever hundredth time, I'm not mad." Changkyun laughs, but stops himself. If Kihyun laughs he'll start feeling pain again. 

"I was afraid, still am and by a lot of things. Thank you for saying and thinking I'm strong. Makes me feel good." Kihyun smiles, and it makes Changkyun do the same when he sees the small crease at the end of his smile.

"I've actually never seen you afraid of anything. What do you fear? Godzilla? Freddy Kruger? The Blob?" Changkyun asks, messing with the strings of his robe. "I hate the alien creature from The Thing and Chucky from Child's Play. Have you seen those movies?"

Kihyun shakes his head. "I don't really watch movies, so I have no idea who you're talking about. You know talking about stuff like that will give you nightmares."

"Staying awake gives me nightmares too. Except I call them day-mares." Changkyun moves to lay on his back to stare up at the ceiling. The dark can only provide such minimal sight, he can barely make out Kihyun's face. He's surprised he was able to catch a smile. 

Conversation halts and silence walks into the room. Breaths rise at a steady rate, mostly for Kihyun. He's groaned in pain so many times in an hour he needs a break to not move and not cause anymore unnecessary movements. He ponders going to bed to sleep off the wakeful hours of agony. The time will fly forward if he plans on closing his eyes. He closes his eyes, eyes blinking behind the lids and Changkyun speaks up.  _ That was quick.  _

"Say if I were to give you a little bit of blood right now; would that help heal you?"

"Blood doesn't heal us; it makes us stronger, faster and it's our food. It's not a medicine." Kihyun replies, voice sounding deeper after the silence.  _ At least he's honest.  _ "If I were to drink your blood I would still have a fractured rib. It would be nice for it to give healing powers but it doesn't work that way." 

Changkyun taps on his chin. Interesting little bit of info learned. "Now say if I were to say, after knowing this info, I'm still willing to give you some blood; what do you say?" 

"I would say are you pitying me because I'm in pain and I've cried?" Kihyun starts to close his eyes once again, hands sitting entwined on his stomach. 

"Well, I'm still not used to the feeling of being bit, and it hurts like hell, but you said it makes you strong and you haven't had any in a week." Changkyun fiddles with a hangnail on his hand, wincing when he pulls it off. The pain reminds him more of the vampire bite although their pains are quite different. He continues talking. "I'm still willing to offer myself to you, so," Changkyun rolls up his robe and shirt sleeves, hoping there's another vein that Kihyun doesn't mind drinking from. Giving his neck would result in some  _ odd positions and an injury _ . "Here."

Kihyun's eyes open, watching as Changkyun's wrist comes into view. It's a harder spot to bite down which worries Kihyun considering how the tendons can get in the way. If given permission, his fangs would be able pierce the ulnar artery; the one that can be used to take your pulse. Unlike the jugular which would automatically lead to death. Kihyun is more worried about the pain that is to come for Changkyun. Should he refrain? Changkyun is offering but Kihyun feels it's because he's hurt. He's tempted to bite, and also wants to turn away.

He looks towards Changkyun who waves his hands in front of his face. Kihyun doesn't budge except for when Changkyun's wrist inches closer to touch against Kihyun's lips.  _ They're warm.  _ It takes a few more coaxing for Kihyun to fully plant his lips onto the wrist, exhaling through his nose as he closes his eyes. He blissfully sighs, exhaling as he whimpers against the skin from the deep breath his lungs give out; it hurts. Kihyun pokes out his tongue, lubricating the area he plans to bite. He prefers necks and thighs opposed to wrists and elbows, but now isn't the time to complain. 

Changkyun can't help but stare at Kihyun and watch his lips move around his wrist. He's never seen Kihyun physically bite him, and curiosity makes him want to see the process. The way Kihyun's eyes glow red when he opens them halfway, and continues to lick the area. Changkyun doesn't see it but Kihyun feels embarrassment on his face with the way he's being looked at; it's almost distracting. Slowly, yet all too fast, his fangs come out to graze the spot until the tip stops at a certain spot. There, Kihyun sinks in hard, trying his best to get past the tendons as he feels a hand come to grip the pillow he's laying on.

"Ah!!" Changkyun screams, as his unbitten hand comes to cover his mouth. The bite is way harder than the neck that he chokes on breathing.  _ Neck or wrist, a vampire's bite hurts like hell no matter where, but this time feels worse.  _ Changkyun can't help but let a groan of pain pass by his lips. He couldn't hold this one in even if he tried. Changkyun thinks he should have given Kihyun his neck, but that's too late now. 

Kihyun lifts his hand to clasp over Changkyun's and runs his thumb over the back side of his hand. There's not much he can do to soothe Changkyun when it comes to a wrist bite. The taste of blood after so long makes Kihyun want to drink more than he should. He shouldn't but he after holding back for so long and the events of last time when Changkyun tempted him, it's hard for him to hold back. 

He can't have Changkyun tempt him anymore, it's too risky. It's not right but, the touching and the neck kisses, Kihyun is going to get needy. Even if Changkyun never tempted him, Kihyun believes he would still have a hard time holding back. It's just that Changkyun's blood is so sweet that he can't help but drink a little more. The way that it's only been a week and Kihyun feels like he can't control himself, it's on the line of being almost animalistic. 

Changkyun soon taps Kihyun's shoulder and immediately, Kihyun pulls off to lick the remaining that drips out. The sight is something so erotic that Changkyun can't tear his eyes from Kihyun's blood stained fangs. His tongue smears a little of Changkyun's blood on his wrists and he moves further away. He covers his mouth in apology, watching as Changkyun shuts his eyes and covers the wound with his shirt sleeve. 

"Are you alright?"

Changkyun looks down at his wrist and holds it tightly. "That fucking hurt more than the neck surprisingly but yeah, I'm alright. I can hide it up with—" 

In the distance, there's a slam of the door downstairs which captures their attention from downstairs. It's extremely loud and it makes Changkyun jump. He lays closer to Kihyun and grips his shoulder.  _ What the fuck? Was the door left unlocked again? _

"Minhyuk. He's here." Kihyun says as his eyes lose its glow and his fangs retract. Minhyuk must have a key or something because Kihyun made sure the doors were locked. He can tell despite Hyungwon's vampire scent because Minhyuk is a human. All that Kihyun wishes is for Minhyuk to not jump on him.  _ Please, please, please. _

There's something that drops downstairs, followed by the rapid footsteps going up the stairs before the doors slam open. Anymore force and the door hinges could have flown off, but the knob may have caused a dent into the wall. The door hits the wall with force and bounces back in a consering manner, almost fully closing if Minhyuk wasn't standing there to stop it.

"Changkyun! Kihyun!" Minhyuk's voice is heard before he turns on the light switch. The whole room engulfs in the bright ceiling light, leaving Kihyun and Changkyun to whine as their eyeballs burn. Kihyun covers his eyes with a forearm and Changkyun hides in his pillow.  _ Holy shit, that is so bright they want to tear their eyeballs out.  _

"Minhyuk! The light burns, turn it back off please." Changkyun shouts and waves his hands in the air. He gets a taste of pain and his eyes try to adjust to the unsuspecting change from black hole to getting blasted into the sun.

"Are you two okay? Kihyun please tell me you're not going to die on us. Hyungwon said you were hurt, but please tell me you have all your legs and arms." Minhyuk skids next to the bed and kneels down, looking into Kihyun's eyes like a sad kicked puppy. "I'm sorry you got hurt Kihyun, please, still be my friend."

"I'm not dying you guys, I just fractured my rib. I swear, it's fine and you shouldn't worry too much about me. I'm stronger than I look." Kihyun chuckles and  _ whoops, let's not do that.  _

"Oh my god, let me fluff your pillows. Do you want soup? What do you need?" Minhyuk ignores Kihyun's sentence. He fluffs Kihyun's pillow anyways and lifts his blanket to his chin.

"I can make the soup! Did you want the grilled cheese sandwiches?" Changkyun shoots straight up to jump off the bed much to Kihyun's disappointment. "I can unplug tk the television and bring it up here for the next few days."

"Oh good idea Changkyun!" Minhyuk points and begins to search Changkyun's room. "We need medicine and some water. Where would that be?"

Changkyun runs to his side and shifts through the drawers. Kihyun lies like he is tied to the bed and watches the pair freak out over him in the room. He mentally sighs, knowing these two won't stop worrying over him. How many times does he have to say he's fine? He may not look like it, but all he needs to do is rest and not move so much. That's basically what he is doing now. 

"Guys, I'm seriously okay, just stop for a moment." They comply and stare back at him with whatever junk they have in their hands. It's unrelated, but Kihyun looks funny with just his head there on the bed because of the blankets that cover him. "Get your asses over and take photos of one another or something, or juggle to impress me, but I'm seriously fine. I just need to rest and stay still."

"Can't believe Kihyun won't let us baby him in his state. Usually people order others around and do impossible tasks." Minhyuk sits on the corner, hanging from the bed as he pulls a cubed  _ thing  _ from his jacket. 

"Fine, I'll take a water bottle." Kihyun caves in. 

"Yay! Step one for Kihyun to get better!" Minhyuk pumps his fist in the air and fetches a bottle he finds on Changkyun's desk. Humans. They're so weird. Kihyun can't stop thinking how amusing they can be.

Changkyun brings out the Etch A Sketch and hops back next to Kihyun, throwing him a sad look that makes Kihyun roll his eyes. These two are comical and wild together; it's like whenever they are close something switches between them and they go off on their own thing. It's amusing and Kihyun would humor them any other day but he can't keep up with them right now. 

"How did you get home?" Changkyun asks, his back laying on the headboard. "Or how far in the club were you guys?"

"I'm gald we made it out in one piece, it was fucking scary!" Minhyuk takes off his sunglasses, and places them beside Changkyun's feet. "Did you know what Hyungwon did? We were outside and Hyungwon said he heard you scream for help, then ran off back inside. He ran inside, guys."

Kihyun and Changkyun both are surprised at what Minhyuk says, it makes Kihyun sit up. He lets out a groan and makes the pillow support him. Changkyun helps him up and Minhyuk shoots an apologetic look that's too hard to not notice. 

"He ran back inside?" Kihyun asks. Changkyun really did a good job projecting his voice that far. 

"Yeah, he left and told me to wait outside. Luckily nothing happened but I was so scared that he might have not come back." Minhyuk looks down at his Rubik's Cube, hand playing with the colors. Last night was something he couldn't forget. He didn't think anyone dying would happen so close to them. "Hyungwon came back but something must have happened because he was dripping blood all over. He had this huge gash on the back of his hand."

"He did…" Changkyun has to act surprised. He needs to thank Hyungwon later for saving him and has to keep it on the down low.

"Honestly, he said he got cut going up the stairs but he never told me what happened when he ran back in, it was strange, but he heard you scream he said?" Minhyuk rubs his eyes to take a better look at the cube in his hands. "But my main focus was getting Hyungwon treated so we ran straight to my house and then hours later we called your house. Then Kihyun picked up." He puts the cube down for a moment and leans in towards Changkyun direction. His eyes wide as he remembers. "I was so, so happy to find that you two got out safely. I thought I wouldn't see you two ever again."

"Did they catch the person who did it?" Changkyun asks, knowing the answer. It's sad to think that but, it's true. 

"No. They're still at large and the body had a huge cut on the dude's neck that his head almost got detached." Minhyuk grimaces as he focuses back on his Rubik's Cube. "But, let's talk about happy stuff. Any more of this talk and I might have to sleep here with you guys."

"No, you are staying here. We can't have you going back outside this late." Kihyun scowls and earns a frantic nod from Minhyuk. 

"Yeah… yeah, yeah, you're right! Thanks, guys. I was just worried about you two so I ran over here. That was stupid."

Changkyun looks up from his board and pats Minhyuk's knee. "At least you guys are safe too. I can't believe you came all the way over here this late. Let's try to stay away from the dark, okay?" 

He doesn't want Minhyuk to worry more about everyone and Changkyun can tell he feels extremely guilty. Like Kihyun says, it's nobody's fault here. Whatever the reason for the incident was all due to the vampire who caused it all. His fingers on the Etch A Sketch stop and one hand holds the wrist where Kihyun bit from. His sleeves are black but there's a dark spot where a little blood still seeps out. The small movement catches Kihyun's eyes as Minhyuk continues talking. 

Changkyun notices as the days start to pass deeper and deeper into October, he fears for what else is to come for them. He knows this is only the beginning and Changkyun can tell the vampire at the nightclub would be the only threat, considering there's more vampires in town than Changkyun thought. If Kihyun wasn't here in town, he could have been dead and he looks at Kihyun knowing this bit of knowledge. 

Kihyun blinks, not sure what Changkyun is thinking but there is something that's distracted him. Everyone needs to try their best to stick together, especially Minhyuk. He's the only one who doesn't know anything and is now the most vulnerable one in the group besides Changkyun and Kihyun. Hyungwon is the strongest vampire at the moment until Kihyun is hard but for now, they have a crack in the armor. Changkyun looks towards Minhyuk who has stopped talking, his eyes trained to his cube. 

If things continue like this, Changkyun is afraid that they might not even make it till Halloween. He hopes the end of October isn't the last for them. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know how you like this chapter by commenting and/or tweeting what you liked using the tag #AfterDarkAO3 on Twitter!!!
> 
> @yooki221 so don't be shy to hit me up in tweets!!! 
> 
> Please leave a comment here too because I'm really interested to see your analysis!!!! Are you surprised who the real vampire is?? I fooled you didn't I ^^


	8. An Interesting Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An interesting start but, where does it all lead to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM BACK!!!! ITS 2021 SOON AND I WANT TO START POSTING MORE AND FEEDING YOU MORE FICS!!!!!
> 
> This one is SORT OF a filler, but it's part of the story but next chapter will have more hehhhehehe this chapter is just a start of what's to come!!!

* * *

  
Kihyun 

Four in the morning; a time too early for most. Over the mountains and amidst the thick blanket of fog, Changkyun's house, along with many others are quiet. Lawns are wet as if it had rained, and windows collect the morning dew to serve as a reminder of how cold it is outside. It hasn't snowed, but the parked cars on the street are covered in a thin sheet of ice. The clouds cluster and cover the mountains and the sun hasn't been given its chance to rise. 

It's not common for Kihyun to wake up at this hour, yet, he sneaks himself into the kitchen. His usual sleep schedule consists of waking up until way later, however, his body is craving for some food. _Something sweet, sugary. _His body is in desperate need for his stomach to be filled and his body needs energy. As a matter of fact, speaking of _his_ _body_, Kihyun shouldn't be moving at all according to Changkyun's midnight scoldings. But can you blame a guy for being hungry? If not blood, food is Kihyun's go-to. His goal is to grab the last donut all for himself, claim it as his own.

He doesn't bother waking up Changkyun with useless tasks to get a meal served in bed; Kihyun only wants to eat, not be spoiled. Last night was hell for his body that consumed five grilled cheese sandwiches from Minhyuk and Changkyun's vigorous urgings. Although Kihyun repeated himself multiple times about how fine he was, nobody cared to listen. 

It's a reason why Kihyun left the warmth of Changkyun's bed and finds himself in the kitchen despite his injury. The cold tile floor is a _ big _ contrast compared to the warm embrace that wrapped around him; it was heartbreaking to leave. Kihyun will admit that snuggling up to Changkyun serves to be more comfortable than he thought. The heat that radiates from Changkyun's body as arms tightly circled around Kihyun's waist with soft breaths hitting his skin. Throughout the night, there would be a stirring of legs that found their way between Kihyun's, or a head that would reposition itself at the crook of his neck; _ it was nice _ . A new feeling to wake up to that almost puts Kihyun right back to sleep; he's never felt so close (literally) to a human before. _ Well, two humans considering Minhyuk didn't go home last night. _

It wasn't the first time Kihyun slept in the same bed as Changkyun. Whenever he did though, Kihyun would sneak out of bed to finish tasks that needed to be done. If Changkyun ever needed anything, he could just call for him and Kihyun would be by his side in a second. Now that Kihyun has fractured his rib, well, it puts a stop to all the things that have to get done. Kihyun _ should _be getting all the rest that he needs to heal but, it's not as easy as it sounds when you don't want to wait for someone to do it for you; for a vampire, he has to keep moving. 

Kihyun looks around the empty kitchen, noting the water droplets on the window above the sink. The sight runs a shiver down his spine and he hugs himself closer. It doesn't help keep him warm as his feet continue further into the kitchen and the tiles feel as cold as snow against his bare feet. Just in the corner and next to the stove is his favorite, helpful stick that he found on the front lawn yesterday. Despite how cheap the idea is, it stabilizes him to move around better; sort of. 

With his stick in hand, Kihyun makes a move for his target, his prey that hides in the cupboards. _ Donuts; sweet, sweet donuts. _Even though he had some last night, he still wants some more since he lives off of sugar and blood. Well, Kihyun seems to be more dependable on sugar rather than blood considering his condition. If he had a balance of both, then that would be spectacular. 

"What are you doing?" A voice breaks Kihyun's movements as he freezes. _ That scent… it's Changkyun. _His voice is lower than usual; it's rough and heavy almost like Kihyun's heart that's beating rapidly. Still, Kihyun doesn't move. "You know that even though you're frozen I can see you, right?"

"I'm– well I was just– wanting to get something," Kihyun turns to face Changkyun as his words stumble across his lips. He's been caught red handed and knows he shouldn't be in the kitchen right now. "I'm not doing anything, really…"

"If you're not doing anything then why are you not resting in the bed?" Changkyun steps forward with arms crossed over his chest as his eyes scan Kihyun. "You know I don't mind you having to wake me up. Do it as many times as you want even if it's for the littlest thing."

"But—"

"Ah!" Changkyun holds up his hand to stop Kihyun from continuing his sentence. It works as Kihyun further sulks. "No buts. I'm not accepting any."

"This is totally unfair to my rights," Kihyun mumbles as he sets his stick down. He doesn't want to comply but lhe doesn't have any other choice at this point. 

"Oh, there you go being dramatic again. Come over here," Changkyun moves to hook his arm with Kihyun as they slowly make their way to the couch. Kihyun feels like a senior citizen and he doesn't like it. _This _is one of the reasons why he doesn't want to be cared and looked after for. He wants to do his own thing without feeling stuck in one spot. 

“I'm not being dramatic,” Kihyun grumbles, sitting down on the couch. It's soft but cold and Kihyun can't help but shiver. The house is still too cold, he might lose his mind.

"It's early so there won't be any bad vampire movies, but we can watch something that's equally bad," Changkyun smiles. He carefully makes sure Kihyun sits down on the couch with ease and is fully settled on the couch before he continues. “Did you need anything? I can go get something for you or maybe even make some food.” 

"Like, anything?" Kihyun asks cautiously. 

"Well, I can't go to the moon or buy you a parrot but something that'll make you feel better."

_ Blood. _Kihyun throws the thought away quickly and almost slaps himself for thinking such a thing. He has to keep his urges under control.

Kihyun doesn't say anything other than think as he looks down at the remote with some sense of familiarity. He throws a look back to where the kitchen is, wanting his breakfast as it still sits in the cupboards. One donut won't fully satisfy him but, he needs something in his mouth to consume. He can't whine to Changkyun everyday wanting a drop of blood unless Kihyun wants him turning into a bag of skin. _ Let's avoid that, shall we. _Besides, Kihyun still needs Changkyun's body to cuddle up to whenever he feels a little too cold; like right now for example.

Feeling a shiver pass through him by the mere thought of being cold, Kihyun brings his knees closer to himself. He needs another blanket or some kind of robe, anything to keep himself warm to last the day. The house would eventually get cold at some point considering October was home for Halloween (which usually gets pretty cold), but it feels as if it was snowing inside than outside. Each passing day the town has lowered in temperature, clouds forming together more and the dew that speckle each window increases. 

“So, if you say I can ask for anything…” Kihyun mumbles, sensing Changkyun’s stare on him. He feels so embarrassed but Changkyun did say to ask him even for the littlest thing. So it shouldn't hurt to just ask. 

“Ask away Kihyun~” Changkyun sings, his eyes sparkling as he leans more into Kihyun's line of sight. _ God, he's so adorable. _

“I'm cold,” Kihyun starts, looking up at Changkyun almost pleading. The action feels so weird, it makes him feel a little too needy even though it's the most basic thing. “I want a blanket or a jacket or something. And—” 

Kihyun stops for a moment, wondering if he should give Changkyun another task or wait till the other is finished. They're not hard tasks but Kihyun finds himself overthinking. 

“And?”

“Oh! Uhm,” Kihyun bites his bottom lip, sending another look of glistening puppy eyes. "The donut, please," Kihyun asks, his voice coming out embarrassingly smaller than he anticipated. _ Wait. _If Changkyun says he'll do anything he wants (with limitations) then maybe… "Actually! I want more donuts. Could you go buy some more?"

"There's only one?" Changkyun questions. Kihyun nods, eyes expectantly gazing up at Changkyun for him to say yes. His right leg shakes a little as he waits. "Sad to tell you but the stores are closed until ten in the morning, about four hours from now," Changkyun frowns and Kihyun can't help but sulk further. "Do you like powdered donuts? They're not the ones you usually eat but they're good."

"Powdered?" 

“Yup! I'll get those for you right now,” Changkyun smiles like it's the best thing to do in the world, bending down an inch to pinch Kihyun's cheek. His hands are cold, making Kihyun shiver over the touch and then it's gone in an instant. "And I'm watching you Kihyun. I'll be making sure you don't hurt yourself, you got it?" Changkyun points his finger so much into Kihyun's face it boops his nose. 

Changkyun skips away and travels up the stairs first rather than the kitchen. It would have been better to go to get said powdered donuts to feed Kihyun's dying hunger but that's okay. He has never heard of them before unless the smell was something that disinterested him. Of course, there's more than _ just _his stomach groaning for food at this point. Inside Kihyun's body is a familiar scratching and gnawing feeling that feels like it might rip him in half. Even though he drank blood last night, Kihyun can't help the urge that spikes his nerves.

This is the problem when drinking blood: whenever you get a taste, you _ want more _. It satisfies the urge but that urge keeps growing, and Kihyun hates that feeling.

Kihyun knows he can control his want for blood but he wonders how long he can go without it. His senses got fucked up, and now he's in this situation of self loathing. It's caused him to restrict a lot of things that he wants to do and now he can't do them. Just his luck. It's always _ just his luck _and lately he wonders a lot more these days. 

Given a life of living so many years, there's so much Kihyun can do but doesn't want to do. He's still very limited considering he isn't human so, his mindset of _ what's the point _never goes away. Kihyun is still young in human years but having lived so many vampire years and yet, hasn't really done anything feels like a stab in the heart. He can still change that, there's still time (a lot of time) but Kihyun doesn't feel like there is. 

There’s running down the stairs as Changkyun’s presence is smelt once he makes it back into the living room. Kihyun can hear bare feet hit the tile floor followed by shuffling through the cupboards. The noise makes Kihyun's stomach growl more in anticipation.

“Here you are, my good sir. A blanket and some donuts just for you,” Changkyun skips back with a white bag, wrapping the blanket around Kihyun's shoulders. He hops onto the couch, now occupying what used to be the empty space beside Kihyun; his warmth in both his smile and body radiating. “And me; we can share.” 

“Oh, you're not going back to bed?” Kihyun asks, surprised to see he'll be having company.

“Of course! I have to make sure you're well taken care of,” Changkyun doesn't stop smiling and it makes Kihyun feel _ extremely _good. “These my friend, are the best packaged donuts you can buy.”

Kihyun leans into Changkyun’s bubble curiously to watch the grand unveiling of the so called _ “best packaged donuts”. _Kihyun is intrigued, his mouth watering just by the words that he hopes to be true. He can smell them through the bag and it's a peculiar one to say the least, very sugary but the taste could prove different. 

“What's the powder?” Kihyun asks, looking up to gaze at Changkyun. He can see how long his eyelashes are.

“Just powdered sugar,” Changkyun shrugs, his tone a little flat. He pulls out a powdered donut and already it's messy as white falls all over the space in between them. They both look down and Changkyun cheekily smiles. “Oh yeah, they're pretty messy too.” 

Kihyun cautiously reaches for the donut in Changkyun’s hand, feeling the cool powder on his fingertips. He can't help but sniff the sugary treat before bringing it to his mouth. The powder melts on his tongue, creating an almost pasty texture as Kihyun chews. It's… _ weird _. The powder donut isn't what Kihyun expected but it's an interesting experience for his taste buds.

However, it does have Kihyun reaching for more as he finds his hand in the bag to feed the sugar monster inside him. It's not something he finds enjoyable, but it's edible enough to his liking. 

“They're so white,” Kihyun inspects through his chewing, his other hand moving to cover his mouth. “Wait, that sounded kind of bad.” 

Changkyun laughs, shaking his head as he moves to pick up another powdered donut. A few bits of powder makes even the biggest mess as it falls onto Changkyun. He leans over to touch the tip of Kihyun's nose with a fond smile. “Remember, they're messy so it'll get on your face and lips without notice.”

“It was on my nose?” Kihyun feels his ear heat up. 

Changkyun nods, taking a bite of the donut and adjusting the blanket on himself. “Probably from when you were sniffing it.” 

There's a fuzzy feeling in Kihyun's chest when Changkyun is with him. It’s almost ticklish the way it flutters inside Kihyun and makes him feel at peace and comfortable. He's never been around any humans that were for purposes other than sucking blood. The feel of being judged is still deep inside somewhere because it never really goes away, but Changkyun finds a way to make a lot of that disappear, even for a little while. 

It does make Kihyun hold his breath when Changkyun shuffles next to him, close enough to where their shoulders touch. That warmth is back again and it's a feeling Kihyun doesn't want to shake off. He wants to reach out and grasp onto it tighter. 

“What's on the television this early?” Kihyun eyes the remote. 

“It's still pretty early for anything good to show up,” Changkyun thinks, not bothering to pick up the TV Guide. “Usually around this time are kid shows or weird infomercials.”

“Infomercials?” Kihyun squints; his tongue feels funny saying that.

“They're like commercials for products except they are shown for longer because they're more informative,” Changkyun shuffles to turn on the television. The sound is turned low so as to not wake up Minhyuk. “And they get repetitive. You'll see the same one three or four times in a row regurgitating the same information; it's weirdly addictive.”

“Humans are so interesting…” 

Changkyun snorts. “I think you mean the television is so interesting.”

“No, that too but, for you to watch the same information over and over again despite knowing it is interesting,” Kihyun gapes with fascination. 

“Well, it's not that I want to watch it,” Changkyun chuckles and he rubs the back of his neck. “Sometimes after a while I'll just have it play in the back for background noise so I feel less lonely.” 

“Woah, that's pretty interesting,” Kihyun bites at his donut and leans closer to Changkyun to gain more information. “So you don't have to watch the television?”

Changkyun shakes his head. “Not always.” 

Another exclamation of amazement leaves Kihyun's lips when he turns to the television. He's learned some new information and (oddly) wants to try and see how long he can last watching an infomercial. So that's what he plans to do for the next hour or however long this one on the television lasts. Besides, he gets to learn more about a product he most likely will never see or have which actually doesn't sound too productive when Kihyun thinks about it.

But, it's not like Kihyun can do anything productive with his injury. There's no choice at this point but to sit and watch maybe a few infomercials with Changkyun. He might learn a little more if he does so.

“You know what the television is also good for?” Changkyun asks, his voice quieter. Kihyun doesn't turn his head to look at him.

“Hm?”

“To block out certain sounds.”

Kihyun catches Changkyun in his peripheral vision unbuttoning his pajama shirt with no other said words. He doesn't pay too much attention to it as his eyes are _ trying _ to focus more on the television. But now that Kihyun's brain knows what's happening to him, his focus flies out the door. _ Shit, he can't help but look _ . There's no ignoring the fact that each time a button disconnects from the hole, more and more of Changkyun's skin is revealed. It doesn't help when there's a nice view of his collarbone that happens to look very tempting. At this point, Kihyun's face has turned to stare directly at Changkyun rather than observe from a small viewpoint. _ Now this is really impossible to not look. _

"What are you doing?" Kihyun finally asks. He gawks at Changkyun's milky smooth shoulders as his sleeves can't stay on any longer and fall down to his elbows. _ Wait, I shouldn't be tempted like this, _ Kihyun thinks, eyes blinking into realization once he feels his body crave for blood. _ I told myself not to be tempted anymore last night. _Kihyun forces himself to look away, hearing Changkyun laugh.

"We're both men, you know."

"You do remember that Minhyuk is upstairs, right?" Kihyun ignores Changkyun's comment. "If he comes downstairs he'll get the wrong idea." 

Changkyun scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Please, Minhyuk likes to sleep in when there's no school." He buttons the last two buttons into their respective holes, leaving all the others open. "It's about seven in the morning, so there's another hour or two. We have enough time."

Kihyun knows he shouldn't but he whips his head to look at Changkyun with a questioning arch of his brow. "Enough time for what?"

"For you to bite me." 

"A– again?" Kihyun gulps harshly. "I bit you last night though. The wound hasn't healed fully." He's confused. Mostly because he's trying to figure out why Changkyun is offering himself so much lately. Is it pity? What is this exactly? 

"And then what?" Changkyun glooms, his voice strong and his eyes pierce Kihyun's. "We have whatever happened at the club to happen again? No way," He scoots a little closer to Kihyun, his hand wrapping around his wrist. "I'm letting you bite my neck today so it's fine."

"Just because I'm biting you in a different place that doesn't mean you won't lose less blood; you're still losing," Kihyun informs, hoping Changkyun will hold off until he's healed.

"And?" Changkyun blinks into Kihyun's wavering eyes; it puts Kihyun in a tight spot.

Kihyun's lips turn to a thin line as he lays out his options on the table. While he's grateful that Changkyun is offering himself to him, there's the small reluctance eating inside. He hates to see how much pain it causes to Changkyun and there's not really anything he could do to soothe him. But then again, whenever something sharp breaks through the skin it's bound to hurt. The only way for Changkyun to get used to being bit is if he's bitten so many times that the feeling becomes natural. 

This is still the beginning and Changkyun has a long way to go. 

Kihyun sighs. "Changkyun, you know—"

"That it's going to hurt? Of course I do," Changkyun stops Kihyun and peers into his face. There's a new found fire blazing within Changkyun's eyes compared to the first time he was bitten. The fear that was there now vanished as his actions proved to be more daring, even a little forward. "I'm also aware I am losing blood. But you need your strength; you said that last night," Changkyun doesn't touch Kihyun's chest, only hovers over it to serve as a reminder. "Didn't we agree on this: that I would let you bite me. I'm just putting your needs before mine."

"What are your needs?" Kihyun slowly releases the breath he's been holding. His chest is on fire, not because of his injury but because of Changkyun. His words and half bare upper body is distracting; it has Kihyun feeling things,_ many things. _

There's not an answer to Kihyun's question and instead, Changkyun moves to his usual spot on Kihyun's lap. Only this time, his legs decide not to cross over each other like they usually are. They're spread apart with room for Kihyun's legs to be between them and Kihyun's heart starts to beat faster than a marching band. It's all too much to process when one thing happens after the other but Kihyun realizes that Changkyun is straddling him. _Oh fuck… _

"Hey! What are you— and Minhyuk?" Kihyun's brain immediately panics as he whips his head towards the stairs. He's expecting Minhyuk to come down and catch them in the act. What else would you think if you walked in on two people who are sitting on the couch on top of one another. Not to mention Changkyun is only one semi-half dressed. Kihyun doesn't want to imagine the horror he would need to face if it were to happen. He mentally begs for it to not become reality. 

Kihyun's heart rate spikes when Changkyun wraps his arms around his neck to slowly creep closer. It's a loose hold, but firm enough to stay in place. The space between them is less but not touching as to take Kihyun's injury into consideration. Any previous pain has been lifted from Kihyun's mind as he melts into the faint strokes at the back of his neck. His brain focuses on the feathery ministrations that Changkyun offers without any complaints, and how Changkyun's fingers thread with only the hair that's at the nape of Kihyun's neck. It does wonders to Kihyun's body as he grips Changkyun's thigh for support. He's seated but still feels as if he might fall from the sensation of it all. 

If this is what Changkyun meant when he said he would care and pamper Kihyun then please do continue. Kihyun slowly begins to like this and wants more of it. 

There's more of the addicting warmth that Changkyun embraced him with before Kihyun had gotten out of bed today; it's back and it does a lot to Kihyun. He subconsciously slides his hands up Changkyun's thighs, his hands resting at his waist. Kihyun can't help help but mess around with the hem of Changkyun’s pajama top.

Changkyun sucks in a breath and the sound makes Kihyun's head feel fuzzy and cloudy with desire. 

Maybe Changkyun felt the same considering how his face inches forward as his caresses continue. It's well known how much Changkyun wants to kiss Kihyun, _ very _ well known. How much Changkyun voices it and whines for it to happen. The grips of Changkyun's hands whenever he wants more than a mere touch or peck on the cheek. How his half-lidded eyes stare deep when he tries to close the distance. It all causes Kihyun to lose his goddamn mind. _ It's _ t _ empting, so fucking tempting. _

But, Kihyun isn't ready for kissing right now. There's much more that he needs to be sure of in order for it to feel right. It's not the only reason besides seeing it as something more intimate than sex. For now, Kihyun turns his head away before it's too late, bottom lip between his teeth to hold back a few of his feelings. There's a small scoff that releases next to his ear from Changkyun; the sound and feel of it makes Kihyun jump.

"I wasn't going to kiss you, Kihyun," Changkyun chuckles before his expression changes to one of his usual worried one. He rubs Kihyun's shoulder. "Are you feeling okay by the way? I'm not hurting you am I?" Changkyun asks with concern weaving into his words. "The last thing I want to do is cause pain to your ribs."

Kihyun nods his head. "I'm alright. I just can't make any sudden movements so go easy on me."

"Roger that," Changkyun hums in a lower tone. "I'm giving you permission to bite me. If I hurt you or you hurt me, we tap, got it?" 

"I'm–," Kihyun nods again and places his hands on Changkyun's bicep. "Okay…" 

It's weird. In situations like these, Kihyun has more of the upper hand. He always warns if anything will happen or makes sure nothing is to happen. While it sort of comes with the vampire territory considering his strength, Kihyun knows more than the other person he's with. He's the only one who knows his own limits but this time, Kihyun isn't the one saying anything this time; he's just putting an okay on everything. For one, Kihyun is glad that Changkyun is aware of their situation. 

The awkward position they're in isn't exactly ideal for biting with Kihyun's injury. He can't get to the vein he wishes to feed off from knowing his movement is minimal to none. He needs to bring Changkyun a _ little _ closer, just enough so that Changkyun isn't putting pressure on his chest. Kihyun grips Changkyun's hips in an effort to pull him closer but fails. It does, however, have Changkyun groan from the strong grip.

"Come closer," Kihyun whispers, thinking Minhyuk can hear them. When Changkyun does so, Kihyun feels a small pressure brush against his groin that shouldn't be there as he lets out a gasp, then another as his chest brings pain from the large intake of breath. _ Double fuck. _

"Oh shit, I'm sorry," Changkyun apologizes as his eyes widen, but doesn't move away. "I'll take a guess that this is a little too close?" 

"N– no," Kihyun tries to steady his breath before he hurts himself. He's feeling really hot as his breath slowly starts to pick up, though not too much, as the bulge in his pants seems to become more prominent. _ Pull yourself together, Kihyun. _"That surprised me, that's all. It's been quite a while since I've been touched there in any way." 

"Remember when I made the touching of the balls joke and— Ah!" Changkyun squeals when Kihyun nibbles his neck. 

"You're not allowed to bring that up," Kihyun playfully scolds and bites the underside of Changkyun's jaw. "Not now anyways when your crotch is rubbing against mines."

"You know what _ you're _not allowed to do? Is keep your hands still every time we do this," Changkyun quips as he frowns against Kihyun's ear. "And you said to come closer so I did what you told me. At least we're not naked."

"Changkyun," Kihyun warns.

"I'm like a fruit, your hands should move to make sure I'm ripe enough to be bit," Changkyun explains, pulling back to hold a conversation. Out of all the time left in the day, _ this _is what Changkyun decides to say when he's about to be bit. 

"Changkyun I'm going to push you off this couch with whatever strength I have in me."

"Come on, am I juicy enough to your liking?" Changkyun pushes a question that makes Kihyun stare back. _ What in the fuckery? _Kihyun searches Changkyun's face as he waits for a laugh, a smile, anything. "Am I?" Changkyun blinks into Kihyun's eyes innocently. "Am I juicy enough for you?"

Kihyun scoffs and rolls his eyes. "You need to work on your talking skills for moments like this."

"You're the one egging me on."

"Hush." 

"Answer my question, Dracula."

"Hush, you unripened fruit."

Kihyun tries his hardest not to laugh but smiles wide at the banter. He's closer to the external carotid artery which was what he wanted despite being _ this _close to each other. With Changkyun's repeated and constant consent, Kihyun leans just a little to place his lips on Changkyun's neck. The feel of it is phenomenal, relieving even to finally have the chance to drink from the neck. While Kihyun did have one bite last night, he isn't a fan of drinking from the wrist but, blood is blood. He just misses the feeling of nuzzling into the warmth of Changkyun's neck and being able to run his lips against it.

"Hands," Changkyun commands, and Kihyun slips them around Changkyun's bare waist as he pushes the hem of his shirt up. Kihyun smiles when he can feel the sigh of relief Changkyun releases against his ear. Darting his tongue out, Kihyun licks a trail from the collarbone to the underside of Changkyun's jaw. He stops to suck a part of his neck, giving a small squeeze at Changkyun’s hip. Kihyun can feel Changkyun shiver over him as nails dig a little into his shoulders. 

It feels like it's been an eternity, and Kihyun doesn't want to show the desperation that's been hiding within him. He breathes against Changkyun's hot skin before he places another small nibble where he plans to bite. There's a whine from Changkyun as he buries his head in the crook of Kihyun's neck, arms wrapping tighter. Before there's a complaint, Kihyun starts to move his hands up the sides of Changkyun's torso as Kihyun licks at his neck again.

This time, Changkyun jumps at the hands that ghost upwards, his hips automatically rutting forward. It catches Kihyun off guard when the pressure against his groin intensifies, biting a groan at the friction. He pulls away from Changkyun's neck with a breathy tone and eyes soaked with desire and lust. 

"Woah there," Kihyun laughs it off, feeling his chest ache a little. He doesn't push Changkyun off; he doesn't want to. 

"S– sorry," Changkyun apologizes with a smile on his lips that holds nothing close to feeling any remorse. "My body reacted on it's own." 

"Really?" Kihyun places a hand in the middle of Changkyun's spine. _ Two can play at this game, Changkyun. _"It's not the reason why you decided to be in this new position?" 

"No…" 

"I don't believe you…" Kihyun focuses on the lower half of his body and uses whatever little strength he has to raise his hips. He feels Changkyun against him even more considering how thin the fabric is to their pajamas but it's still not enough. _He wants more. _Kihyun gently presses down on Changkyun's lower back to rut against him once again as his lips attach themselves back on Changkyun's addictive neck. 

"Ah—" Changkyun's back arches and responds by grinding his hips down, his chest coming in contact with Kihyun's who hisses. Kihyun holds a hand to create a space between their chests. _ This is hard (heh, hard indeed). _

"Easy, easy."

"That one I am sorry for."

Kihyun hums instead of laughs as he continues to mark Changkyun's neck in spots of purples and blues. He doesn't want to be reminded of his injury; this takes his mind away even for a little while (despite some movements hurting). Kihyun doesn't want to sit and be reminded of how immobile he is at the moment; he needs this and he needs Changkyun. It's the way Changkyun can feel so warm against his body, yet there's a new addicting heat that pools in Kihyun's stomach. A needy pull that makes him want to do just more than grind against one another and having a bite; plus the noises that Changkyun makes brings Kihyun closer to do almost just what he plans to do. 

Kihyun nibbles at Changkyun's neck to hold back his moan and he doesn't believe himself to stop now. He sucks at the skin, his tongue lapping the area and then repeats. If he sinks his fangs in directly, it tends to hurt a little more; he wants to reduce as much pain as possible. Kihyun rubs his thumb against Changkyun's shoulder with his fangs shooting out on display. He runs the sharp tip of his fangs across the arch of Changkyun's neck, silently letting him know what is to come, and Kihyun sinks in. Above him, Kihyun can feel how Changkyun's body writhes and his deep voice whine at the sensation. He knows this move turns Changkyun slightly (maybe even completely) on. 

Kihyun's fangs break through the skin without any other warning, hearing the painful gasps from Changkyun who clamps his hand over his mouth considering they have a guest. They must be louder than the television at this point since the volume to the television isn't too high. 

Changkyun curses under his breath, a whimper slipping through his fingers and Kihyun reassures him by rubbing his back. There's always a small pinch of guilt that pokes Kihyun whenever he drinks. The taste of blood is always remarkable and the way it touches his tongue and gives him life feels incredible without a doubt. Yet, Changkyun can't relate and that causes Kihyun to feel guilty. While Kihyun can see and feel the pleasure in it for himself, that's not the same for Changkyun. It's not easy trying to mask the pain it brings, or to bring light upon what they're doing because there isn't necessarily a win-win situation; it's mostly for Kihyun's benefit.

"Fuck…" Changkyun whines, hands lightly gripping Kihyun's hair and pushes his hips down on Kihyun again. That drives Kihyun’s brain so wild. Changkyun arches his back a little too much and Kihyun feels the small graze against his shirt but it's nothing damaging. "Okay, this— I like this," Changkyun gasps and runs his cheek into Kihyun's neck as he whimpers. "The biting and grinding mixed together… I like it."

It's a compliment that goes straight into Kihyun's head and he lifts his hips a little to silently agree with Changkyun. For Kihyun, drinking blood and being told how good everything feels is a thing he can enjoy; that being because it's never happened before.

Kihyun sucks a little more blood from Changkyun, feeling his body slowly grow a little more stronger and his eyes glow a more vibrant red. He moves his hands to rub circles on Changkyun's hips who grinds down, this time not planning to stop. It's a sensation that makes it impossible for Kihyun to not moan around Changkyun's bite. Sucking blood and being grinded on is making him grow a little more dizzy.

"Kihyun," Changkyun moans at the friction he's been creating. He rests his head on Kihyun's shoulder, letting out hot moans and whines. 

Kihyun knows if they go on like this, Changkyun might release _ something _ at some point and Kihyun himself feels overstimulated. His brain slowly becomes a puddle as he drowns in Changkyun's intoxicating self that he can never get enough of. Kihyun has never felt anything similar like this before with another human he feels otherworldly; as if this foreign feeling is sparking something inside him. But Kihyun doesn't know how much more and much longer he can take. 

It's all so overwhelming. For the first time in his life, Kihyun taps at Changkyun's waist to stop. "That's not my ass you know if you're trying to spank me."

_ Well. _Kihyun holds a laugh, deciding to play along and gives Changkyun's (ripe) apple ass a small squeeze. Changkyun lets out a small squeak, tapping Kihyun's shoulder repeatedly in what could only be embarrassment. Kihyun retracts his fangs quickly back into their hiding place, lapping up any reminder of blood and sucks at the spot a little more. Now, he has the opportunity to have a small laugh when he thinks about Changkyun's reaction, smiling against his neck. 

"Hush, I'm not talking to you anymore today," Changkyun huffs and his hips stop moving. _ What a shame. _

"You kept telling me to use my hands," Kihyun smirks against Changkyun's neck hoping he can feel it. "So I used them." _ An opportunity was there when you said spanking, Changkyun. _

Changkyun grumbles low. "You're so mean."

“Am I really?” Kihyun hums and licks up the rest of whatever blood remains on Changkyun's neck, now relishing in his warmth. He attaches his lips at the slightly red spot around the bite, placing a small kiss which causes Changkyun to whimper and fully bite Kihyun's neck and... _ fuck. _

_ This was something Kihyun wanted to avoid. _

There's a small moan that falls out of Kihyun's lips, a slip up he hopes Changkyun didn't hear. 

There's no movement from either of them, not even a sound as the room envelops into silence besides the conversations on the television. It's unnerving and makes Kihyun's brain panic as he continues licking Changkyun's neck to avoid suspicion. It doesn't seem to work when he feels a pair of hands slip under his shirt to grip his waist and there's another bite on his neck, this time harder.

"Ah!" Kihyun moans, shutting his mouth a second too late. Changkyun had to have heard that, it's so loud that maybe Minhyuk woke up. 

"So you did moan just now," Changkyun pulls back to observe Kihyun's face. Kihyun tries to make it apparent that he wasn't affected by the small bite. He shakes his head and puts on the best straight face he can pull off. _ It doesn't fly _. "I don't believe you."

"I was just surprised that's all," Kihyun says, hoping that if he pouts and acts cute, maybe he can get away with it. 

Changkyun smiles, leans back into his spot on Kihyun's shoulder and once again bites his neck, sucking a certain spot. This time, Kihyun falls through the quicksand faster than he expects at the sensation. 

And it feels too fucking good at this point to make Changkyun stop. 

Kihyun now can't help but groan and whine, his voice gradually at a slight higher pitch and breathy when Changkyun mimics what Kihyun does to him. _ Shit. _Kihyun isn't sure if he can think or breathe straight anymore. But it's taking his mind off his injury and Kihyun doesn't mind, his brain drugged on the pleasurable sensation. 

"Changkyun," Kihyun cries, trying his best not to breathe too hard. His brain is running on fast wheels, he feels lightheaded again by the sensation, that (_ over _) overstimulation. "I've bitten you… we're done." 

"But _ I'm _ not done," Changkyun smirks against Kihyun's neck, placing a small nibble just below his ear. Kihyun feels his body shake a little, holding on to Changkyun's hip for (what seems to be) dear life. He lets his eyes slowly flutter shut when Changkyun sucks at another sweet spot. "A vampire that likes to get bitten?" Changkyun comments as if he can't believe it and Kihyun doesn't need to hear it.

Kihyun doesn't respond, but he feels himself grow red with that statement. He doesn't want to admit it; it's too embarrassing. A smirk plays on Changkyun's lips as he runs his lips on the crook of Kihyun's neck. 

"So you like to bite people _ and _get bitten; I like this little secret you've held from me." Changkyun repeats as he sneers.

"It's not like that," Kihyun breathes, hearing how small his voice is. His chest wants to rise as he feels himself get hotter and pouts at how unfair Changkyun is being. "I can't believe you're taking advantage of this. You might have some other tricks up your sleeve."

"Aw, come on, Kihyun," Changkyun coos and softly kneads Kihyun's waist. It causes Kihyun's body to become putty as he wants more. The blanket practically serves no purpose as Changkyun is just so, _ so _warm; Kihyun can't get enough of it. 

Has this been what Changkyun was feeling whenever they get touchy? So fired up that the spark within them never dies out. This magnetic tug and pull they create. Even if they separate, they reunite somehow. As if a second away is too long and an hour together is too little. 

"For about the hundred eighty-two years I've been alive, you're the first human being to discover that I like to get bit," Kihyun moans, feeling Changkyun slowly rub against his crotch again. 

"Oh~ I feel so special," Changkyun smiles triumphantly, his head up high and proud. It's a little shit smile but Kihyun let's Changkyun enjoy the fun he's having. Plus, Kihyun is stuck in a euphoric fog. 

“I've never been bit before other than getting turned, which wasn't pleasant but,” Kihyun sucks in a breath, his chest rising too much and a small amount of pain spreads. _ We might need to slow down just a little now. _“I like to get bit during…” Kihyun feels embarrassed all of a sudden as he continues to speak. “Times like this.” 

“You mean sex.” 

Kihyun grows red. “S–stop that, you're embarrassing me.” _ And, wait… _“We aren't even having sex.”

“I wasn't talking about us, Kihyun,” Changkyun laughs and Kihyun feels like he's fallen into a trap. How much redder can he become?

Before Kihyun can retort or either embarrass himself more, he doesn't know anymore, Changkyun bites down just between his shoulder and neck.

"Changkyun!" Kihyun lightly slaps Changkyun's arm, punching it repeatedly. 

"Yuck, seems like you're not ripe yet."

“I'm going to catch on fire because I'm so embarrassed,” Kihyun’s weak arms wrap around Changkyun’s waist, his head low in defeat. “Okay, you win you ripe juicy fruit.” 

"Well," Changkyun smiles, looking into Kihyun's eyes. "You're hurt and I'll distract you from the pain and I'll take very good care of you," 

Those words do things to Kihyun's heart; fluttering, and missing a beat or maybe even two. His words are soft rather than teasing and feel more comforting than the blanket around them. Those small ministrations from Changkyun appear on the back of Kihyun’s neck again and this time he might melt. When has a human being, one who knows Kihyun's true nature, ever cared for him like this? 

The tidal wave of so many emotions crashes down, and instead of feeling blue, Kihyun feels so much happiness. He wants this feeling to last forever. A human _ finally _ doesn't care about what he is. Kihyun loves that.

“Can you—” Kihyun stops, not wanting to ask too much of Changkyun.

"Just say what you want."

"I want you to stay here and take care of me," Kihyun whispers, hearing a small submissive cry in his voice. This looked after feeling and being paid attention to; he takes back what he said earlier about not wanting to be doted on. “And for you to care for me until I get better.” 

Changkyun smiles happily, beaming. “Whatever you say, Kihyun.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Changkyun 

There's a small sensation on Changkyun's nose, almost ticklish. It's super annoying but he's too lazy to do anything about it. He's so comfortable and warm that if he moves, he knows we won't get it back. But of course, another ticklish sensation is rubbed onto his nose before he smells something _ strong. _It's a mix of scents, nothing like perfume or something burning but it's intentional as it’s one you wouldn't smell under your nose.

There's a click of the tongue after Changkyun doesn't wake up. 

"How mean of you two to leave me alone in your room only to cuddle on the couch together," A voice says. 

It's distant but close enough that Changkyun isn't hallucinating, and he can't be dreaming. As Changkyun’s brain slowly wakes up, he realizes they aren't alone. They never were alone. And at this, Changkyun’s eyes shoot open with a drowsy blur as the room spins. He sits up, only a little until he hears a groan behind him and– _ oh god, how is he going to explain this! _

“I swear, we were just sleeping,” Changkyun declares before Minhyuk says anything.

“Sleeping with your shirt open for all the world to see with Kihyun wrapped around you like a koala?” Minhyuk snickers at the sight, eyes focused on Changkyun. His sight never wavers and his smile grows bigger like the Cheshire Cat. “Those marks on your neck tells me you had a really nice dream though.”

“The marks…” Changkyun blinks as he tries to remember. _ Oh my God the marks! _He slaps his hand to cover his neck, ears and face flushed like a fire truck. Sirens are going off in Changkyun’s head to pair with his cheeks as he panics. If Minhyuk finds the vampire bite then there's no way to explain that.

“You guys are too loud again,” Kihyun groans from behind, tightening his grip on Changkyun’s waist. Changkyun can feel him smile and he continues to talk. “But I hope we weren't loud.”

Minhyuk looks like his brain has malfunctioned and Changkyun can't blame him, he feels the same way. Looking closely, Minhyuk’s face slowly grows red as he licks his back teeth. 

“What did you guys—” Minhyuk’s eyes grow wide and he stops himself. “You know what, I don't want to know.”

“I swear, it's really not what you're thinking,” Changkyun feels he might die from embarrassment. This is too much. 

“Wait! So then both of you are…” Minhyuk looks between Changkyun and Kihyun with rapid speed. His face lights up like the star on a Christmas tree and he claps his hand together. “Oh my God, I'm not the only gay person.

“I don't do threesomes,” Kihyun murmurs, only enough for Changkyun to hear. _ Kihyun, shut up. _

“What was that?” Minhyuk tilts his head like a confused puppy.

“He said he's tired,” Changkyun rolls his eyes and laughs. He tries to break free of Kihyun’s grip but there's no way out. “It's not Monday is it?”

“No, but it's almost noon so get your lazy ass up Changkyun,” Minhyuk rolls up the TV Guide to bop Changkyun over the head with it. He places a hand on his hip, waving his new weapon at the pair. “We need to go get some donuts and medicine for Kihyun so chop chop.” 

With that, Minhyuk leaves the living room to walk up the stairs. Changkyun knows he's going to shower so it gives him and Kihyun a little time to present themselves a little. Or maybe pick up the pieces of Changkyun’s fallen off ears from the constant embarrassment. 

What Changkyun feels happy about is Minhyuk's reaction to him and Kihyun. It wasn't the most ideal way of finding out Changkyun’s sexuality or somewhat sexuality he's still so fucking confused but, at least Minhyuk didn't feel betrayed. No words of _ “why didn't you tell me” _were said and Changkyun feels glad he didn't have to explain himself. It's probably what Minhyuk would have wanted from Jooheon: to just accept it. And Changkyun feels… good.

“Aw, Minhyuk knows to get me donuts,” Kihyun coos, nuzzling into Changkyun’s shoulder to place a kiss on the nape of his neck. It tickles. 

“Probably because he can't get the image of you stuffing your face with them when we first met out of his mind,” Changkyun removes Kihyun's grip off his waist to turn and face him. _ Woah they're close. Too bad they can't kiss, _Changkyun thinks and pouts.

“I don't want you to go though,” Kihyun opens his eyes, still sleepy and close to shutting. He breathes softly as his arms lazily snake around Changkyun's waist again. “As much as I want donuts, I also want you to stay here.” 

“If I stay here, then you have to kiss me,” Changkyun propositions, knowing Kihyun won't do it. But he _ might _get something from him. 

Changkyun is met with a troubled look from Kihyun who is most likely laying out his options in his head as he wears such a kissable pout. Changkyun bites the side of his mouth, holding his tongue from cooing. _ Too bad it won't be kissed though. I literally want to kiss Kihyun so bad this has to be unhealthy. _

Kihyun leans in, placing a shy kiss on Changkyun’s cheek. It's a quick peck but it works (to some extent and a quarter satisfaction). “There, I kissed you.”

“Those weren't my lips.”

“You never said where to kiss you.”

“You can't do that.”

“Then don't be vague.” 

Changkyun squints. “You're a meanie, Dracula.”

“And you should word your sentences properly, you rotten fruit.” 

“Rotten?!” Changkyun gasps with such a dramatic effect he practically sucks out all the air in the room. “How am I rotten?” 

“You've upgraded,” Kihyun laughs, patting Changkyun on the shoulder like it's some kind of accomplishment. He can be such a tease but Changkyun loves to play along. 

“How is _ that _an upgrade?” 

Kihyun smiles, closing his eyes. “Just please don't leave my side today. I'm feeling very needy.” 

“That's forward of you, Kihyun,” Changkyun points out. He can't help but smile shyly at the request and he wants to stay, he really does but, there's a problem. 

Minhyuk can't go outside alone, not when he carries a vampire scent. But Changkyun shouldn't go out alone either because he himself is a target as well, and he can't go with Minhyuk either unless they have a bodyguard. Kihyun is hurt and is too weak to walk around which only leaves Wonho and Hyungwon. But Changkyun has to be weary of Hyungwon too. Is he a bad or good vampire? While Changkyun may have been saved by him, there's no real evidence something bad could happen. _ Ugh, my head hurts _, Changkyun groans and tugs at Kihyun’s top. 

Meanwhile, Kihyun just stares at him, and Changkyun doesn't know what to tell him. He's supposed to stay and care for Kihyun but he also can't leave Minhyuk alone without him getting suspicious if someone tags along. 

“I want glazed, maple ice, and strawberry ice with sprinkles please,” Kihyun releases his hold on Changkyun. It's almost sad considering that it felt so nice.

“Are you sure?” Changkyun asks as the guilt gnaws on him. Kihyun smiles, moving to rub Changkyun’s ear with soft, slow strokes.

“Of course I am, just…” Kihyun trails off, his eyes earnest and inviting. His hands slide down to lightly pinch Changkyun’s cheek, giving it a little shake. “Be safe, okay? Try not to get hurt.” 

“Wish you were more needy,” Changkyun admits. It's a rare sight. 

Kihyun laughs, gaping in pain and grabs at his chest. It makes Changkyun’s face flood with concern as he moves to try and help. Anymore of this and Changkyun might have to consider buying Kihyun his own Life Alert necklace. _ Well, at least we had a good morning start, I guess. _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Tag me at @yooki221 with the hashtag #AfterDarkAO3 and tell me what you think!!!
> 
> Please do comment on here if you want because it does mean a lot and I do read them!! I'll also comment but I'm behind rn but for sure I'll comment!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! It will pick up after this!! If you're on Twitter, be sure to use the tag: #AfterDarkAO3
> 
> I would love to see other things you have to say too as well!!!


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